


Harry Potter and the Ninja of Fire

by tabjoy13



Series: The Leaf Tower Trilogy [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, Book 4: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Canon-Typical Violence, Crossover, Gen, Hatake Kakashi at Hogwarts, Hatake Kakashi-centric, Hogwarts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-13
Updated: 2021-01-13
Packaged: 2021-03-18 06:47:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 27
Words: 60,548
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28738989
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tabjoy13/pseuds/tabjoy13
Summary: Team Hogwarts will be: Kakashi, Guy, Kurenai, Tenzo, and Ebisu. How will our favorite ninja deal with Harry’s fourth year at Hogwarts? Cross posted on FF.net.
Relationships: Draco Malfoy & Maito Gai | Might Guy, Hatake Kakashi & Harry Potter, Hatake Kakashi & Maito Gai | Might Guy, Hatake Kakashi & Yamato | Tenzou, Hatake Kakashi & Yuuhi Kurenai, Yuuhi Kurenai/Cedric Diggory
Series: The Leaf Tower Trilogy [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2106936
Kudos: 34





	1. Lost Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This first bonus chapter takes place the night after the Quidditch World Cup. It is not necessary for the rest of the story (and the ninja have not yet arrived) but I include it to put us all in the mood for how things are different than canon Year 4 at Hogwarts due to the events of The Prisoner and the Masked Man. Hope you enjoy!

**Lost Chapter Number One**

“Harry wake up,” Sirius had his hand on Harry’s shoulder and was shaking it roughly.

Harry sat up in their tent and reached around for his glasses. “What’s the matter?” Instead of hearing the joyous sounds of celebration in the distance that he’d fallen asleep to, Harry could only make out a dull ominous roar pierced by screams.

“Get dressed, now,” Sirius said instead of answering and then hurried away.

Sirius had never spoken to Harry this way before. It wasn’t like his godfather was angry exactly but it was something akin to it, some new tone of voice that Harry wasn’t used to receiving from the man. Harry put his shoes on and threw his robes over his pajamas. When he emerged from the tent he saw Mr. Weasley, Ron, Ginny, Fred, George, and Hermione in front of the tent next to them. There was a green glow hanging over the campground. Sirius was standing in front of his and Harry’s tent, glaring toward the ugly sounds.

“We’re going to help the ministry,” Mr. Weasley said indicating himself and his three eldest, whom had already taken off toward the danger. “Sirius, please get everyone else away from here.”

Sirius almost protested then stopped himself, torn. He looked Arthur in the eye, then at Harry, and finally at Hermione and the younger Weasley children. Sirius firmly nodded his agreement and the groups separated. Sirius grabbed Harry’s shoulder, his grip a little too tight. Harry turned to him in surprise. “Harry, don’t wander off, stay right close to me alright?”

Harry nodded mutely. He didn’t know when Sirius had drawn his wand but there it was in his hand and at the ready. The young wizard could almost pretend that they were about to have another dueling lesson. However, Sirius’s face didn’t hold the usual pride and mischief that would normally accompany spell practice.

“Everyone, wands out,” Sirius commanded. “I don’t care if you’re underaged.”

There was a chorus of, “ _Lumos”_ and their immediate area was lit up. Harry, however, was in a panic. 

“I’ve lost my wand,” Harry cried, searching the pockets of his robes again. Sirius looked sharply at him and then at the cackling crowd approaching them.

“Never mind that now Harry,” Sirius said. “We’ll find it later. Let’s go.”

Sirius, with Fred and George’s help, began shepherding the youngest witches and wizards away from the chaos. Fred and George led the way while Sirius kept pushing everyone else from the rear. They hastened along as a group but lone witches or wizards sprinted by them. Harry even saw one person zoom by on a broomstick. Some people were screaming. An orange glow lit up the dark night, something was on fire.

Their group quickly drew attention. Up the path was a cluster of frightened teenaged girls. When Sirius came into view, clearly the adult in the group, one of them started to stutter out something.

Sirius wasn’t wasting any time. “Come on then,” he barked, inviting them to join. The girls jumped at his brutishness but scrambled to their feet and filled the gap he’d made for them. They hurried on together. 

They picked up several more strays, usually underage wizards who’d been left alone or separated from their families. People seemed to think there was a safety in numbers and were more than happy to attach themselves to a large group with their wands at the ready. Eventually they reached a part of the forest that was quiet and Sirius suggested they wait things out there. Almost everyone sat down in the leaf litter, huddled in different groups. Sirius still had his wand out and was slowly walking circles around the group, peering into the darkness beyond their ring of light. 

Suddenly Sirius seemed to think of something and waved his wand, “ _Expecto Patronum_.” Harry wasn’t the only one learning things during their practices together. A glowing, silver dog shot out of Sirius’s wand and bounded into the distance. He turned and walked over to Fred and George. “I’ve sent word to your mother to let her know what’s happening and that you are safe,” Sirius explained. “No doubt the news of this is going to reach her before we even know what’s happened.”

Just then, from a different part of the wood, screams broke out afresh. “What is that?!” Ginny cried out.

A giant green skull with a snake for a tongue rose into the air. It looked like it was made up of emerald stars that were giving off smoke. The smoke made the shape even more pronounced. Sirius growled.

“Oh no,” Hermione gasped, “it’s-” but she didn’t get to finish. Red beams of light burst into existence from the direction they’d seen the skull emerge. Some of the red lights shot straight for them.

“ _Protego_ ,” Sirius roared and the red lights near them quickly dissipated against his shield. 

“What the bloody hell was that all about?” Ron bellowed. They never did find out. Some of the witches and wizards they’d collected began to cry.

“It’s alright everyone,” Sirius said, attempting to be comforting, “I’m sure we’ll hear something very soon.”

As it turned out they did hear something very soon. A witch who worked for the ministry came by a few minutes later. She was scouring the woods for any injured witches or wizards and informed them that the situation had been contained and that they could return to their tents.

Sirius, still on his guard, stood and led his group back to where they’d last seen the rest of the Weasleys. All others in their group dissipated as they saw friends or came near their own tents.

The campsite was quiet now and Mr. Weasley stood outside of the big tent, standing on one foot, then the other. When he saw them he almost cried out, striding forward and embracing his children, then Hermione and Harry. Arthur then grasped Sirius’s hand and they all went inside.

Charlie, Bill, and Percy had taken a little damage but were not seriously hurt. “Did you send word to Molly?” Sirius asked, thinking of the incomplete message he’d had to send with his patronus.

“Right, I’ll do that now,” Mr. Weasley responded. He hadn’t been outside for two seconds before he stuck his head back in, “everyone try to get some sleep. I’ll see about getting a port key first thing in the morning.”

Everyone began to shuffle here and there, getting ready for bed for the second time that night. Sirius pulled Harry into an unexpected hug and then walked away without a word. Harry knew Sirius wasn’t good with words but it didn’t matter. He knew that he was cared for. That was enough. 


	2. Wizards Must Be Rich

**Chapter 1: Wizards Must Be Rich**

Kakashi answered the summons immediately. He teleported himself to Hokage Tower and knocked before opening the door to the Third’s office. The Hokage was behind his desk, smoking his pipe passively. The man sitting across the desk from him almost made Kakashi forget to shut the door. Dumbledore.

“It’s good to see you again Mr. Hatake,” Dumbledore said, rising with a smile.

Kakashi removed his Hound mask and approached the man. It had only been a couple of months since Dumbledore had last seen him but Kakashi had grown taller. However, the rest of him was the same as the wizard remembered, from the tasseled silver hair to the white ANBU armor.

Kakashi bowed first to the Hokage, then Dumbledore. “It’s a pleasure to see you also Headmaster,” Kakashi said politely.

The Hokage noticed, despite the greeting, that Kakashi was tease. Seeing the wizard so soon after the completion of his long-term mission at the wizarding school had him uneasy. The young jonin didn’t ask any questions and waited.

“Kakashi,” Lord Third said, “Professor Dumbledore has once again requested protection for his school this coming year. He’d prefer your team, since you’re already familiar with the school and wizards and witches in general. I know that you have many important duties in ANBU but this will solve a particular problem for me _and_ help the Professor.”

Kakashi said nothing. _He wants me out of Danzo’s reach._

“You will, of course,” Dumbledore cut in, “be given the choice. I would never force you to return to Hogwarts.”

“I will go,” Kakashi responded. “But you, Lord Third,” Kakashi nodded at his Hokage, “only know if my old team is available. I would also like to request one addition.”

The Hokage motioned for Kakashi to go on.

“Is Cat available sir?”

_So he’s already figured out why I was so willing to let him leave again,_ the Third thought. He grunted his assent. “That will make a fine five-man squad. I’ll inform Ebisu, Kurenai, and Guy. I leave Cat to you.”

Kakashi found Tenzo at one of the ANBU training grounds. “Cat, I’d like a word.”

Tenzo stopped sparring with Leopard immediately and teleported next to Kakashi. Tenzo had taken a knee but Kakashi was already walking away. Tenzo, confused, stood up and followed him. Kakashi walked first through their training grounds, then into the village itself. Finally they came to one of the regular training grounds and Kakashi stopped. The memorial stone gleamed in the sun across the stretch of grass.

“Do you trust me Tenzo?” Kakashi asked, not looking at him.

“Yes senpai,” Tenzo responded instantly, taking Kakashi’s cue and removing his ANBU mask. His young face looked up at Kakashi’s, questioning.

“Good,” Kakashi said, turning away from the distant stone to look at his teammate, “because I have something I need to tell you and you’re probably not going to believe me.”

Tenzo listened in silence as Kakashi explained the mission he’d completed last year. He told him about Dumbledore, witches, Hogwarts, everything. A slight widening of the former Root member’s eyes was the only reaction he gave as the sun rose in the sky. “Now they want us for another year,” Kakashi concluded. “I’m requesting that you accompany us.”

“I understand,” Tenzo replied.

Kakashi eye-smiled at him, _no Tenzo, I don’t really think you do, but you will._

Ten minutes later the two ANBU entered the Hokage’s office. “You’re late captain,” Ebisu complained, crossing his arms over his new chunin vest.

“Sorry we’re late. I had to rescue Tenzo here from getting flattened by a runaway wagon full of cats. It was very messy. We barely got away alive. Fur everywhere-”

The Third Hokage ignored the exchange and said, “you’ve explained the mission I trust?” At Kakashi’s nod he continued, “does he accept?”

Tenzo looked from the old man in strange clothes to the Hokage. Kakashi was briefly reminded of his own confusion one year ago. He had no doubt of Tenzo’s answer however and was unsurprised when he heard it.

“I accept the mission.” The words felt strange in Tenzo’s mouth.

“Excellent,” Dumbledore said with a clap of his hands. Tenzo’s brow furrowed as he looked at him.

“Senpai,” Tenzo said as an aside to Kakashi, “what was that?”

Kakashi’s face mirrored his confusion, then his eye widened and closed in a smile. “Professor Dumbledore,” Kakashi said turning to him, “you never told us the language spells you used on us would last this long.”

“You never asked Mr. Hatake,” Dumbledore said with a smile. “I removed my own to test Hiruzen. His has been working for many years.”

Tenzo looked more and more confused by the second. Kurenai began to shift in discomfort at the young ninja’s position of ignorance. Guy tried to give him a reassuring smile but Tenzo kept looking from Dumbledore, to the Third, to Kakashi, and back again.

Kakashi explained, “Professor Dumbledore is going to have to perform a spell on you. The Headmaster here, and the people we’ll be guarding, speak a different language. I can assure you that the spell is completely safe and its only purpose is so that we can understand each other.”

Tenzo restrained the urge to step back as Dumbledore withdrew a long thin stick from a pocket inside of his robes. Tenzo briefly wondered if he could use wood-style on the wand as the Headmaster muttered the incantation.

Dumbledore then said, “is that better?” Tenzo could understand him perfectly. The headmaster put the wand away as Tenzo nodded.

“I want to give you five some time to pack but there are a few things I’d like to tell you first,” Dumbledore began. “The Death Eaters are more active than they have been in several years. There was recently an attack at the Quidditch World Cup where the dark mark was used and people are terrified.” Tenzo’s mouth sounded out: Death _Eaters_? Kakashi caught his eye and made the hand signal for “later”. “Also, this year there is going to be a magical competition hosted at Hogwarts called The Triwizard Tournament. As the name suggests, students from two other wizarding schools will be joining us for the year. With Voldemort’s followers getting bolder, I don’t want to take any chances with the eyes of the magical world upon us. It’s not good for international relations to have an incident while their youth are under our protection.

“As always, I make it my priority while you’re with us to keep your identities as secret as possible. With that being said I must warn you, there will be press from all over the world covering this Tournament. They’re going to be everywhere, even inside the school itself. They won’t pose a threat to our students, I hope, but I do worry for your safety. If the right reporter, or should I say the wrong one, starts to wonder who you five are and where you come from, they’ll never let it go. Even stories that contain no actual news can be very damaging if it gets people asking questions. Be on your guard.” He looked at each of them over his spectacles. They all nodded in return.

“Well,” Dumbledore said clapping again, “I promised that I’d leave here as soon as possible but do take your time in packing. The longer you take the more time I have to catch up on news with my old friend.”

Despite the wizard’s request, it only took the five man squad thirty minutes to pack. Guy, Ebisu, Kurenai, and Tenzo assembled in the hallway in front of the Hokage’s office door. When Kakashi arrived with his pack slung over his shoulder, Ebisu knocked and they all entered.

“Back already?” Dumbledore asked pleasantly as he got to his feet. “Alright then.”

The bearded man whistled and a fantastic bird flew in through the window after a few moments. Fawkes landed gracefully on Dumbledore’s shoulder. “I think we’ll need to take two trips this time.”

Kakashi nodded and said, “Kurenai, Guy, Ebisu, go ahead. We’ll be right behind you.”

Kurenai and Ebisu grasped one of the phoenix’s legs without comment. Guy gave Kakashi a questioning look before doing the same. With a poof they were gone.

“Kakashi,” the Third Hokage assured, “I’ll handle the issue here the best that I can. Take care of Tenzo.”

The ANBU in question frowned at the floor. Kakashi nodded and said, “only if he takes care of me in return. I am a secret-keeper after all. I’ll need someone to watch my back.”

Tenzo looked up, his eyes wide, a smile almost gracing his lips.

“Good luck,” the Hokage wished them as Dumbledore and Fawkes reappeared to collect them.

Kakashi grasped one of Fawkes’s legs and said, “better hold on Tenzo, wouldn’t want to lose you.”

Tenzo, still confused, reached up as high as he could and grabbed Fawkes’s other leg. Suddenly the Hokage’s office was gone and replaced by a much different office. The walls were made of stone and there was a large desk with many trinkets on it. Thankfully there was something recognizable in the strange space. Guy, Ebisu, and Kurenai stood next to the far wall, grinning at him.

Kurenai said, “was that the look we had the first time we did that?”

“I hope so!” Guy said enthusiastically.

Dumbledore broke in, “we’ve prepared the same room you had before. There will hopefully be no need for you to live in the dormitories this year.”

“Thank you Professor,” Kakashi said, bowing. The rest of the team followed suit and then filed out of the office.

When the old team arrived at the familiar space it felt like visiting a home away from home. The door with its iron fastenings, the comforting fireplace already lit, and the familiar set-up of the beds.

Kakashi noted that a fifth bed had already been added to the arrangement. _The house elves work fast,_ he thought, since they only would have found out about Tenzo upon his arrival with the rest of the team moments before.

To Tenzo, it was just another place to sleep. “Which one is mine?” He asked perceptively.

“On the end,” Ebisu supplied. He was already unpacking his things into one of the tall boy dressers.

“Tenzo,” Kakashi said as he threw his own pack onto his bed. “You’ll have to stow your sword. The teachers won’t allow you to wear it openly when the students are here.”

Tenzo nodded and unclasped the sword from his back.

“It’s nice to be back here,” Guy commented. “I look forward to seeing my youthful Slytherins!”

Kurenai nodded but Ebisu frowned. “Captain,” he said, “I assume that we’ll be stationed with the same houses?” Kakashi nodded. “What about Tenzo?”

“Ah, well,” Kakashi said, stretching out on his bed as if to take a nap. “Tenzo here is our trump card.” Kakashi looked at his fellow ANBU. Despite his relaxed posture he looked very serious. “I want you out of sight. The students and teachers already know us so there’s no disguising who we are. However, they’ve never seen you and I’d prefer your presence to be as secret as possible. Dumbledore and the teachers are the only ones who will know that there are five of us this year. I’d prefer to keep the list so limited in case there’s trouble.”

Tenzo nodded.

“With that being said,” Kakashi continued, moving on to address Ebisu’s unasked question. After all, there were no ranks in ANBU. “If there’s anything we’ve learned from our time at Hogwarts it’s to expect nothing, or rather, everything. Tenzo is a very skilled ANBU but the four of us have a year’s worth of experience at Hogwarts that he lacks. For this mission, the chain of command after me will be: Guy, Kurenai, Ebisu, Tenzo.” They all nodded in acknowledgement. “Now get some rest, we’ll be giving Tenzo the grand tour tomorrow and get him as caught up as possible. The students arrive in one week. Good night.”


	3. We Meet Again

**Chapter 2: We Meet Again**

One week later the Great Hall was decorated for the start of term feast. It was raining and besides that, Peeves had been throwing water bombs at the students as they filed into the Entrance Hall. There was a bit of a jam at the door to get in.

“What’s going on?” Ron asked, shuffling in his wet robes. He tried looking over the crowd to see what the holdup was.

“Maybe it’s something about what your family kept hinting at Ron,” Harry replied, on his tiptoes to try and see over the heads of the students in front of him.

When the trio finally got inside they almost didn’t realize what was different about the setup of the Great Hall because in a way it wasn’t different at all. Ron caught on first, “look Harry, it’s Kakashi! And Kurenai and Guy.”

“And Ebisu,” Hermione finished, smiling at her pen pal. The four ninja loitered around their customary tables nonchalantly. Guy looked excited. Kakashi looked bored. 

“Yes and Ebisu,” Ron echoed, giving Hermione a funny look.

“I don’t believe it,” Harry was grinning. He never imagined that the four ninja would be back for another year.

“Why do you think they’re here?” Hermione asked. Her eyebrows furrowed in thought.

“What do you mean?” Ron asked.

“Well last year they were here because of Sirius and the dementors and everything. But why are they here again, this year?”

This made Harry stop and think too. He’d enjoyed meeting the guards and could only imagine how different last year would have been without them. Still, Hermione had a point. _Why were they here?_

“I’ll be right back,” Hermione said and made her way over to the Ravenclaw table.

“We could always ask them,” Ron offered. His eyes weren’t on their table however. Hermione was weaving through the students to get to Ebisu.

Harry snorted. “Whatever is going on, your mom said that Dumbledore would tell us soon enough. It’d probably be faster to wait for the announcement.”

Kakashi watched the boys approach passively. “What are you guys doing here?” Ron asked not unkindly.

Harry face palmed. 

Kakashi eye-smiled, “it’s nice to see you too Ron.”

“Right, sorry, nice to see you Kakashi,” Ron said, remembering his manners.

While pointless questioning went on at the Gryffindor table, reunions of all sorts were taking place across the hall.

“Youthful Slytherins! It is glorious to see you once again!”

“Guy!” several second years chorused and rushed forward to hug him. Draco shook his head at them disapprovingly but he had a small smile on his face.

“Hey there Kurenai,” Cedric opened with his familiar swagger.

Kurenai’s eyes went to the ceiling, wishing for patience. She sighed and closed her eyes. “Cedric,” she greeted him.

“How was your holiday?” He continued, eyes shining. 

“It wasn’t.”

“What do you mean, where did you go?”

Kurenai raised her eyebrows at him. He knew better than to ask questions. Cedric held up his hands in mock surrender. He flashed her a grin and said, “it’s good to see you.”

Kurenai did not respond but began talking to some Hufflepuff girls that ran up to her.

“The vest,” Hermione observed, “you didn’t have it before.”

“Yes I um,” Ebisu began, “I got a promotion of sorts.”

“You never said anything about it in your letters!”

“Well you know I can’t say much,” Ebisu said frowning.

“I know, but it’s still so good to see you! I thought I wasn’t going to see you again,” Hermione said, looking at the floor.

Ebisu wasn’t sure how to respond to this so he stayed silent.

“Ebisu, we’re still…”

“Yes.”

Hermione smiled, his quick answer reminded her of when they’d first met. “Good, I’m glad we can be friends. I’d still like to write to you, even after this year, if that’s okay?”

Ebisu smiled, “I would enjoy that.”

The doors to the Great Hall opened and a group of over a hundred wet and shivering first years began to file in. “I’d better go,” Hermione said. She smiled at Ebisu, gave him a quick hug, and ran off to the Gryffindor table.

Soon enough the Sorting Hat had sung its song, the first years were divided, and the feast had been consumed. Dumbledore stood up and the hall went quiet. After the usual announcements about forbidden objects and forests Dumbledore said, “I would also like to welcome, and introduce to some of you, the guards we will be having at Hogwarts this year. Kakashi, Ebisu, Kurenai, and Guy, who were with us last year, are here once again.” There was a healthy amount of applause, especially from the Slytherin table. “I will remind you that the guards are here for your protection, so if they ask you to do something, please do so, as if I myself had asked.”

Now was the time that the headmaster dropped the first bombshell. “On a different subject, due to another event, the Quidditch House Cup will not be held this year.” There were many gasps at this. “Instead, Hogwarts will be hosting-”

Just then there was a rumble of thunder and the door to the Great Hall banged open. A man with a long staff and a dark traveling cloak entered the hall. As he removed his hood and shook out his mane of gray hair, lightning from the ceiling flashed and the students saw his face clearly.

 _He has even more scars than Ibiki,_ Kakashi thought. Bits of the man’s face were missing or shifted to the side by deep scars. While Kakashi took note of the abundance of scars, the students were more interested in why the man had one blue eye that moved about as if searching the room.

With every step the man took there was an audible _clunk_. He walked up to Dumbledore and shook the Headmaster’s hand. They exchanged words and the newcomer sat down at the staff table, which could only mean one thing. “May I introduce our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher: Professor Moody?”

Hagrid and Dumbledore’s clapping echoed in the quiet hall. Professor Moody didn’t seem to mind the weak reception.

“As I was saying,” Dumbledore continued, “Hogwarts is very honored to be hosting a tournament that hasn’t been held for over a century. I’m pleased to announce that we will be holding the Triwizard Tournament.

“In case you didn’t know, and if you already do please forgive me for my brief explanation, the Triwizard Tournament was begun over 700 years ago as a friendly competition between the three largest European schools of wizardry: Beauxbatons, Durmstrang, and our very own Hogwarts. Each school has one champion and the champions compete in three magical tasks. The tournament used to be held every five years and the schools would rotate who hosted it. It is a good way to promote international relations between young wizards and witches. However, the death toll rose so high that the tournament was discontinued.”

At this revelation some students gasped. Kakashi raised an eyebrow. _Interesting._

“There have been many attempts to re-instate the tournament but it has so far been unsuccessful. However, this year, the Departments of International Magical Cooperation and Magical Games and Sports have decided that the time is ripe for another try. Great pains have been taken this year so that no student should find themselves in mortal danger.

“A short-list of possible contenders from each of the other two schools will be arriving in October and an impartial judge will choose the three champions on Halloween. These champions will compete for the Triwizard Cup, the immortal glory of their school, and a thousand Galleons prize money.”

Dozens of whispers broke out at this. Fred Weasley hissed to his neighbors, “I’m going for it for sure.”

“Eager as some of you are to enter, the other Headmasters and myself have agreed that there should be an age restriction. Therefore only students who are of age, that is, seventeen years or older, will be allowed to enter the tournament.” Dumbledore had to raise his voice slightly due to the protestations that broke out. “This has been done for the safety of the competitors since the tournament will be both dangerous and challenging.

“The delegation of students from the other schools will be remaining with us for the majority of the year. I know you will extend every courtesy to them since they are our guests and also lend support to our own champion, whomever he or she turns out to be.

“Now I know you all must be very tired so off to bed!”

“Can you believe that?” George said angrily. “We’re only a few months off of seventeen. They could at least give us a chance!”

“Well I’m going for it anyway, we’ll figure something out George,” Fred said. “Meanwhile…”

The twins approached Kakashi. He closed his eye in a smile. “Fred, George, what can I do for you?”

“Kakashi, we just wanted to tell you that we’ve given up on trying to see your face,” Fred explained.

“Oh?” Kakashi asked. He scratched at the edge of his mask and noticed the way George’s eyes bugged out a little.

“Yeah,” George said, eyes still on Kakashi’s cheek. “It was really immature of us to try and disobey your personal wishes.”

Kakashi smiled at them. As soon as his eye was closed, Fred stepped up to his right side, George to his left. With both hands, the twins reached up to grasp their half of the mask to yank it down. Suddenly the twins were tangled in each other’s arms.

Kakashi was standing a pace back from them, still smiling. “If you two wanted to dance you could have just said so. I was once told by a beautiful princess that I am a heavenly dancer. Now watch this next move,” with that Kakashi turned on his heel, as a wizard would to apparate, and teleported away.

“You know George,” Fred said, “sometimes I feel like he just enjoys playing with us.”

George nodded in response. They straightened their robes, looked around to see if anyone had been watching, and headed to Gryffindor Tower.


	4. Just Plain Mad

**Chapter 3: Just Plain Mad**

Later in the guard’s room, or as Guy had started calling it, Leaf Tower, Kakashi was divvying up night patrol assignments.

“Do we really need these this year Kakashi?” Ebisu asked, crossing his arms.

“The teachers, ghosts, and caretaker still have to do night patrols. Why shouldn’t we?” Kakashi asked calmly. 

“Because they patrol to enforce school rules and, as you were so fond of reminding us last year, that’s not our job. It’s bad enough that we still have to follow them to Hogsmeade.”

Tenzo had never seen someone argue with a superior about an assignment before. He watched their exchange like it was a tennis match, his mouth hanging open.

“Ebisu,” Kakashi sighed. “Dumbledore’s worried about security for a reason. Otherwise he wouldn’t have paid to have us for another year.”

“Or their currency is stronger than ours and it just doesn’t mean much to them,” Ebisu muttered.

“Ebisu,” Kakashi warned, a hint of irritation creeping into his voice.

“I’ve got first shift still, right? I’m on it,” Ebisu conceded. He got up and left to patrol.

Kakashi went to wash up without a word. Tenzo cleared his throat. Guy and Kurenai looked at him. “Does Ebisu always defy Kakashi like that?”

Kurenai and Guy looked at each other. Guy gave a little chuckle, “it isn’t so much defiance as, what would you call it Kurenai?”

“Ebisu and Kakashi are both geniuses,” Kurenai said. She looked at the ceiling, as if picking out her words from up there. “But not in the same sense, so they kind of rub each other the wrong way. Make no mistake though, they are comrades.”

Guy nodded and added, “if you’re worried about Ebisu putting the mission at risk, don’t. He likes to tease Kakashi every once in awhile but he knows that Kakashi won’t let us down and will follow his orders.”

Tenzo nodded. They each took turns washing up and then slept until their own patrol shifts.

The next day dawned gloomy and early. The rain had stopped but clouds continued to hang over the wizarding school.

After their first few classes, the students made their way into the Great Hall for lunch. Malfoy was proudly brandishing a copy of The Daily Prophet. “Look Weasley, your father’s in the paper! They couldn’t even get his name right. It says here that it’s ‘Arnold’.” He proceeded to read the article aloud, about how Mr. Weasley had gone to “Mad-Eye” Moody’s home to deal with a possible threat but then some muggle policemen arrived. “There’s even a picture here. You know, your mother really could stand to lose a few pounds Weasley.”

At this point there were several students who had stopped to watch the possible fight. Hermione and Harry were holding Ron back, trying to steer him into the Great Hall.

“You know _your_ mother Malfoy?” Harry retorted. “She’d be tolerable looking if she didn’t have that look on her face all the time. Does she have dung under her nose or does she just look that way when you’re around?”

Malfoy’s face gained a rosy hue. “Don’t you dare ever insult my mother Potter.”

At this point Guy had arrived at the edge of the crowd, “now this is disgraceful, the both of you,” he began.

“Why don’t you just keep your fat mouth shut then Malfoy,” Harry replied, both boys ignoring the ninja. Harry turned to help Hermione herd Ron out of the Entrance Hall.

There was a bang and some screams. Harry had felt the heat of a spell wiz by his head rather than saw it. He reached into his robes to grasp his wand. 

Guy flash-stepped in front of the Slytherins, face fierce, “now I think that’s about en-”.

At that exact moment Guy was drowned out by a gruff, “oh no you don’t laddie.”

A second bang sounded through the hall. Suddenly Guy was gone and replaced by a jet black ferret that stopped mid-squeak. The little animal stayed very still, surveying its surroundings. Moody didn’t have time to respond to this accident.

Kakashi came out of nowhere. He grasped Moody by his robes and hauled him up so they were eyes to eye. “Turn him back,” Kakashi shouted into the professor’s face.

Moody glared back, both eyes focused on the jonin’s face. The blue eye seemed to be scanning the parts of Kakashi’s face that were not normally visible. All the students were frozen watching the exchange. They couldn’t decide who was more dangerous.

Moody, not breaking eye-contact with the silver-haired ninja, waved his wand awkwardly to the side of them both. Kakashi felt Guy’s presence behind him once more and released the professor, not looking away.

“ _Professor_ Moody,” came a stern voice from Kakashi’s left. The first word was terribly strained. Moody turned and looked at Professor McGonagall hastening toward the pair. “I would like a word with you in my office, now.”

Behind him, Kakashi heard Draco quietly say, “you shouldn’t have done that Guy. Why did you do that?”

Guy replied, keeping his voice low, “we will discuss this later.” His disappointment in Malfoy’s behavior was clear in his voice. Louder he called, “now get to lunch, all of you.” The students scurried away, leaving Guy and Kakashi alone in the Entrance Hall.

“That was very rash my rival.”

Kakashi said nothing. He was still glaring at the spot he’d last seen Mad-Eye. His breathing slowed down as he struggled to regain his inner calm.

“There’s a reason we hide our emotions,” Guy began.

“That’s rich coming from you,” Kakashi said harshly. Then he sighed, releasing some of his rage. “There’s something off about that man. I don’t trust him.”

“Yes, but if he didn’t know that before he certainly knows now. And, if he’s a threat, he knows how he can hurt you.”

Kakashi snorted and smiled, “this team doesn’t need me to protect them.”

“Then why did you interfere?” Guy asked.

Kakashi didn’t have an answer and they both stood there together in silence for a time. Eventually Guy turned around and followed the students in to lunch.

Kakashi waited for his unseen teammate to show himself. Tenzo flipped down from his perch on the ceiling and landed in front of his captain. “Anything to report?”

“No sir. Although I was almost discovered by a small ghost earlier. I don’t believe he saw me.”

“Peeves,” Kakashi acknowledged. “He didn’t. If he did you would have known about it.”

Tenzo nodded.

“We’ll have to keep a sharper eye on Professor Moody from now on,” Kakashi said. “Guy’s right, if he didn’t think we were suspicious of him before, he does now.”

Tenzo nodded and vanished from sight. Kakashi sensed his presence moving toward the Great Hall to observe lunch. _I hope he’s been taking some time to eat._ Kakashi thought, _great, now I’m acting like Kurenai. Big brother Kakashi._

With these thoughts in mind, Kakashi entered the Great Hall both to observe the lunch hour and partake in it himself.


	5. Unforgivable

**Chapter 4: Unforgivable**

That afternoon, Professor McGonagall approached Kakashi. “Professor,” he greeted her.

“Kakashi,” she responded in kind. “I have a favor to ask.”

Kakashi’s eyebrows went up. “What would that be?”

McGonagall pursed her lips and continued, “Professor Moody is going to be covering curses heavily this year. Dumbledore is allowing it but as a stipulation, he requires one of your team be in the room during all of the classes in which curses will be used.”

Kakashi’s eyebrows went higher. “Won’t that irritate the professor and interfere with his class?”

“Possibly but he agreed to it none the less,” the witch said. “He’s been instructed to see you beforehand if such a class is to take place. You order your people as you see fit.” 

“I usually do,” Kakashi smiled. McGonagall looked like she very much wanted to roll her eyes at him.

When Thursday rolled around, Professor Moody approached Kakashi at breakfast. “Three more classes today Kakashi,” he growled. “At one, two, and three o’clock.”

“I’ll be there,” Kakashi confirmed. It was his turn in the rotation.

“Sure you can handle it?” Moody grinned, the motion contorting his scars. “Your teammates didn’t seem to approve of my teaching methods.”

“I’m sorry that they were disrespectful,” Kakashi responded politely.

“Never said they were,” Moody shot back, “just disapproving.” The man walked away with his uneven step.

Kakashi wondered what they disapproved of but didn’t see fit to mention to him. The jonin glanced across the lunchroom to observe the visible part of his team. Kurenai was watching Moody walk away, her face like stone.

Kakashi wandered into Moody’s classroom at one minute to one. The students were already in their seats, books out on their desks, eagerly waiting for class to start. He noticed that Harry, Ron, and Hermione were in this class. He looked over the heads of the thirty-odd witches and wizards. _Must be the Gryffindor fourth years._

Kakashi had just slouched against the back wall when Professor Moody clunked into the class.

“You can put your books away; you won’t be needing them.”

The students excitedly put their books away and listened in rapt attention as Moody began his lecture on curses. Kakashi grew concerned when the topic turned to the most forbidden curses in the wizarding world.

There were three, as Kakashi soon found out, and Ron offered the first one. “The Imperius Curse?”

Kakashi’s eye narrowed when Moody pulled a large glass jar out of his desk. The jar contained three spiders. Remembering Ron’s boggart, Kakashi noticed Ron recoil as the spiders appeared.

Moody withdrew one spider from the jar. Holding the arachnid in one hand and his wand in the other he said, “ _Imperio”._

The spider began doing all sorts of things that, in Kakashi’s mind, spiders should just not do. It let down a little thread of web and began swinging back and forth from it. It did flips and jumped. It even did a little tap dance on Moody’s hand.

The students began to laugh. Kakashi just frowned, his mind already ahead on how such a curse could be used in warfare. It reminded him of several equivalent jutsu but none more so than Inoichi’s clan jutsu. This however, was much worse. As Moody explained, this curse could be maintained from a distance while the caster could go about their business. _Something to watch out for indeed_ , Kakashi thought, looking at “Mad-Eye”.

Moody released the spider and placed it back into the jar. “Another illegal curse?”

Kakashi watched Hermione’s hand shoot up and then, much to his surprise, Neville’s shaking hand rose.

“Yes?” Moody called on Neville.

“There’s the um, the Cruciatus Curse,” Neville said shakily.

“Your name is Longbottom isn’t it?” Moody asked. His blue eye darted down at the class list while his regular eye stayed fixed on Neville.

Neville nodded.

Moody looked away and reached into the jar to pull out another spider. He pondered the spider in his hand. “I’ll have to make him bigger so you can see what I mean. _Engorgio!_ ” The spider grew past palm size and Moody set it down on his desk. Then he pointed his wand at it and said, “ _Crucio!_ ”

The spider seemed to shrivel in on itself. Its legs folded under it and it began to shake uncontrollably. Moody continued to point his wand at the tortured spider and it began twitching, the shaking legs feebly trying to move itself away from the pain.

“Stop it!” Hermione said suddenly. She was looking at Neville. The Gryffindor was clutching the edges of his desk, knuckles white. His eyes were wide but his brows were furrowed, like he wanted to close his eyes but couldn’t look away. Kakashi was tense but he waited.

The professor released the curse and the spider sagged in relief. He shrunk it back down to size and placed it back inside of the jar. The way things were going, Kakashi could guess what the third unforgivable curse would be.

“The Cruciatus Curse used to be very popular too. You don’t need a dungeon to torture someone if you know _that_ Unforgivable Curse.

“The final curse? Anyone?”

Hermione slowly raised her hand. Moody called on her. “ _Avada Kedavra_ ,” Hermione whispered.

“Yes,” Moody confirmed, “the killing curse, the last and the worst.”

Moody pulled the third spider out of the jar with some difficulty. It seemed to know what was coming and kept scurrying out of reach. Moody calmly set the spider on his desktop, pointed his wand at it, and yelled, “ _Avada Kedavra_ ”. The spider’s corpse rolled off of the desk and onto the floor.

“There is no blocking this curse, no known countercurse,” Moody said. “In fact, the only person known to have survived it is sitting right in front of me.” He looked at Harry with both eyes.

Harry didn’t like the attention but he did his best to give the professor a level stare back.

Moody went on, “use of any of those three curses will land you in Azkaban. That’s what you’re up against. So you must always be VIGILANT! Copy this down…” The rest of the class was spent taking notes.

When the bell rang Hermione hurried Harry and Ron along. “You’re not going to the library again are you?” Ron asked.

“No,” Hermione said, “Neville.” She pointed at the boy down the hall. Kakashi was with him. Hermione suspected that they were talking but she couldn’t tell because of Kakashi’s mask.

The three approached the duo. “Neville?” Hermione asked.

Neville turned to her, his eyes still wide, “oh hi guys. I um, do you know what’s for dinner today?” 

“Are you okay?” Hermione asked, ignoring his question about lunch.

Just then they heard a familiar _clunk clunk clunk_ behind them. Professor Moody pulled up next to them. He addressed Neville, “it’s alright sonny, why don’t we go back to my office and have a cup of tea?”

 _Don’t you think you’ve done enough?_ Kakashi thought but, remembering what Guy had said, he spoke up. “Neville’s on his way to lunch.”

“Well he can have lunch with me,” Moody offered. His attempt at being pleasant was destroyed by the icy glare he shot at Kakashi. “I have some books that may interest him.”

Neville looked terrified. Harry, Ron, and Hermione didn’t know what to do. “You can give him the books when he’s next in class,” Kakashi replied, matching his glare. “I believe he’ll be back? There’s a whole schedule they’ve worked out, it’s really quite ingenious.”

Hermione’s mouth dropped at Kakashi’s blatant sarcasm. Ron just looked impressed.

Moody smiled, making his scarred face look even more grotesque. “I’ll have to do that then.” Moody turned and limped off. Kakashi began herding the fourth years to the lunch room.

“Um, Kakashi,” Harry said, knowing that asking questions will probably get him nowhere, “do you have a death wish?”

Kakashi stared ahead of him. Just when Harry thought he wasn’t going to answer, Kakashi spoke, “my teammates ask me that sometimes; you know what I tell them?”

“What?” Harry asked eagerly. Ron looked curious too.

Kakashi teleported. Harry and Ron groaned. Harry shook his head at his own gullibility, he should have known better.

**Chapter 5: There Are No Strings On Me**

In a couple of weeks Professor Moody found Kakashi in the Great Hall once again. The sharper Gryffindors had started to understand that if “Mad-Eye” came to talk to Kakashi at breakfast, they were going to have an interesting lesson.

Sure as the sunrise, the Gryffindor fourth years walked into Defense Against the Dark Arts and found that they had no use for their books that day. When their teacher explained that Dumbledore wanted them to know how the Imperious Curse felt when it was used against them, though, some students raised concerns.

“Professor,” Hermione said, “I thought you said it was forbidden? That to do it to another person…”

“If you want to find out the hard way Granger,” Moody barked back, “when someone’s using it on you and you haven’t an inkling how to fight it, then there’s the door.” He pointed a scarred finger at the exit.

Hermione went quiet, mumbling something under her breath. Guy watched from the back, eyebrows furrowed.

Moody swept the desks to the side of the room with a sweep of his wand and began using the Unforgivable Curse on the students one by one. Moody never had a student do the same thing twice. One student imitated a rodent, another did some flips across the room, another hopped around the room singing a song, and still another bowed to an invisible dance partner and began to waltz.

When it was Harry’s turn, Guy watched the wizard just stand there. Harry stood still for so long that the ninja looked up at Moody to see if he’d cast the spell yet. The professor had but Harry was just standing there. Then Harry slowly bent his knees but remained where he was. Guy smiled, it looked like Harry was doing better than the others. Suddenly Harry skip-tripped into the instructor’s desk. Guy almost ran forward but stopped himself as Harry began to stand up on his own.

“Very good Potter!” Moody praised, “did you see that you lot? Potter fought it. Watch again closely now.”

Moody cast the spell again. Harry stood still for a very long time, then his legs began to shake. Harry bent his legs for a jump and then fell backwards. He landed hard on his rear but was up again in no time. His face was set. 

“Almost had it that time Potter, let’s try again.”

Moody cast the spell again and Harry began to turn away from the desk before falling to a knee.

“Once more, almost had it,” Moody said excitedly.

The professor cast the spell again and this time Harry did nothing but look Moody in the eyes and said very clearly, “no thank you.”

“You did it lad!” Moody roared. “If I can get you all to throw the curse off like that by the end of the year then I’ll sleep a lot sounder at night. Class dismissed.”

Guy glowered from the back of the room. He followed the students out, frown still on his face.

A week later, Ebisu and Kurenai noticed that there was a buildup of students in the Entrance Hall. “I hope it isn’t another fight,” Kurenai said as they hurried over.

Sneaking through impossibly small gaps between students, Guy and Kurenai got close enough to see the sign. It announced that the students from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang would be arriving in one week.

“Only one week away,” said a Hufflepuff that Kurenai had spoken to only a few times. “I’d better go tell Cedric!” With that, he sprinted off down the corridor.

“Cedric?” Ron repeated, confused.

“You know him,” Hermione said. “He’s the Hufflepuff Quidditch Team Captain.”

“He must be entering the tournament,” Harry added thoughtfully.

Kurenai was both surprised and unsurprised by this. _It would be just like Cedric to want to test his skills with this tournament. He_ is _seventeen._

“That idiot? Hogwarts Champion? No way,” Ron denied.

“Look who’s talking,” Ebisu muttered.

“Did you say something Ebisu?” Hermione asked, the mischievous grin on her face indicated that she knew exactly what he had said. Kurenai hid her own smile with a hand over her face.

However, Harry and Ron were both looking at the ninja now. Ebisu coughed and said, “I was saying, why wouldn’t he? It’s not only his last year at Hogwarts but he can’t even try to win the Quidditch Cup his final year as captain of the Team. That has to be disappointing.”

Harry pondered this. He hadn’t thought of it that way. _If the Triwizard Tournament had happened last year, Wood would have been devastated to have missed his last chance._

Ron just squinted at Ebisu suspiciously. “That was a lot longer than what you said earlier.”

Hermione cut in, “besides, Cedric is not an idiot. He’s a good student and he’s a prefect. You just don’t like him because he beat us in quidditch.”

“You only like him because he’s handsome,” Ron retorted.

Hermione looked scandalized, “excuse me. I do not like people simply because they’re handsome.”

“Lockhart,” Ron coughed.

Harry grinned at them both. “Come on, let’s go.”

The three left and Kurenai looked up to see Ebisu staring at her. “Who’s Lockhart?” he asked, confused.

Kurenai shrugged her shoulders. They turned and began to disentangle themselves from the crowd.

As the week went on, the ninja noticed extra cleaning taking place all over the castle. Guy and Kakashi were surveying the scrubbing of a portrait when Guy said, “it’s like a chunin exam, everyone wants to make a good impression, show off a bit for the other villages, or in this case, schools.”

Kakashi answered with an ambiguous grunt. “Nothing promotes peace and fellowship like young people trying to kill each other.”

“But they aren’t trying to kill each other!”

Kakashi raised an eyebrow, “that we know of. Do you know what the tasks are? Because I do not.”

“They wouldn’t take special pains to keep the champions safe and then have the task be to maim each other,” Guy argued. 

“Not directly, no,” Kakashi replied. “But if a champion happens to trip…” Kakashi shrugged. “Don’t pretend you forgot what they were like last year before the Quidditch Final. They’re different from us but we’re not _so_ different.”

Finally the 30th of October had arrived. The guards had noticed on their rounds the night before that great banners had been hung in the Great Hall. There was one banner for each house, scarlet, blue, yellow, and green with their mascots embroidered on them: golden lion, bronze eagle, black badger, and silver serpent, respectively. There was another large banner hung over the staff table with the Hogwarts coat of arms on it.

The students oohed and ahhed at the banners as they came down for breakfast. All Kakashi could think was that the banners gave Tenzo an excellent place to hide. Apparently he’d almost been caught a few times when someone got it into their head that the ceilings needed to be scrubbed.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 5: There Are No Strings On Me**

In a couple of weeks Professor Moody found Kakashi in the Great Hall once again. The sharper Gryffindors had started to understand that if “Mad-Eye” came to talk to Kakashi at breakfast, they were going to have an interesting lesson.

Sure as the sunrise, the Gryffindor fourth years walked into Defense Against the Dark Arts and found that they had no use for their books that day. When their teacher explained that Dumbledore wanted them to know how the Imperious Curse felt when it was used against them, though, some students raised concerns.

“Professor,” Hermione said, “I thought you said it was forbidden? That to do it to another person…”

“If you want to find out the hard way Granger,” Moody barked back, “when someone’s using it on you and you haven’t an inkling how to fight it, then there’s the door.” He pointed a scarred finger at the exit.

Hermione went quiet, mumbling something under her breath. Guy watched from the back, eyebrows furrowed.

Moody swept the desks to the side of the room with a sweep of his wand and began using the Unforgivable Curse on the students one by one. Moody never had a student do the same thing twice. One student imitated a rodent, another did some flips across the room, another hopped around the room singing a song, and still another bowed to an invisible dance partner and began to waltz.

When it was Harry’s turn, Guy watched the wizard just stand there. Harry stood still for so long that the ninja looked up at Moody to see if he’d cast the spell yet. The professor had but Harry was just standing there. Then Harry slowly bent his knees but remained where he was. Guy smiled, it looked like Harry was doing better than the others. Suddenly Harry skip-tripped into the instructor’s desk. Guy almost ran forward but stopped himself as Harry began to stand up on his own.

“Very good Potter!” Moody praised, “did you see that you lot? Potter fought it. Watch again closely now.”

Moody cast the spell again. Harry stood still for a very long time, then his legs began to shake. Harry bent his legs for a jump and then fell backwards. He landed hard on his rear but was up again in no time. His face was set. 

“Almost had it that time Potter, let’s try again.”

Moody cast the spell again and Harry began to turn away from the desk before falling to a knee.

“Once more, almost had it,” Moody said excitedly.

The professor cast the spell again and this time Harry did nothing but look Moody in the eyes and said very clearly, “no thank you.”

“You did it lad!” Moody roared. “If I can get you all to throw the curse off like that by the end of the year then I’ll sleep a lot sounder at night. Class dismissed.”

Guy glowered from the back of the room. He followed the students out, frown still on his face.

A week later, Ebisu and Kurenai noticed that there was a buildup of students in the Entrance Hall. “I hope it isn’t another fight,” Kurenai said as they hurried over.

Sneaking through impossibly small gaps between students, Guy and Kurenai got close enough to see the sign. It announced that the students from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang would be arriving in one week.

“Only one week away,” said a Hufflepuff that Kurenai had spoken to only a few times. “I’d better go tell Cedric!” With that, he sprinted off down the corridor.

“Cedric?” Ron repeated, confused.

“You know him,” Hermione said. “He’s the Hufflepuff Quidditch Team Captain.”

“He must be entering the tournament,” Harry added thoughtfully.

Kurenai was both surprised and unsurprised by this. _It would be just like Cedric to want to test his skills with this tournament. He_ is _seventeen._

“That idiot? Hogwarts Champion? No way,” Ron denied.

“Look who’s talking,” Ebisu muttered.

“Did you say something Ebisu?” Hermione asked, the mischievous grin on her face indicated that she knew exactly what he had said. Kurenai hid her own smile with a hand over her face.

However, Harry and Ron were both looking at the ninja now. Ebisu coughed and said, “I was saying, why wouldn’t he? It’s not only his last year at Hogwarts but he can’t even try to win the Quidditch Cup his final year as captain of the Team. That has to be disappointing.”

Harry pondered this. He hadn’t thought of it that way. _If the Triwizard Tournament had happened last year, Wood would have been devastated to have missed his last chance._

Ron just squinted at Ebisu suspiciously. “That was a lot longer than what you said earlier.”

Hermione cut in, “besides, Cedric is not an idiot. He’s a good student and he’s a prefect. You just don’t like him because he beat us in quidditch.”

“You only like him because he’s handsome,” Ron retorted.

Hermione looked scandalized, “excuse me. I do not like people simply because they’re handsome.”

“Lockhart,” Ron coughed.

Harry grinned at them both. “Come on, let’s go.”

The three left and Kurenai looked up to see Ebisu staring at her. “Who’s Lockhart?” he asked, confused.

Kurenai shrugged her shoulders. They turned and began to disentangle themselves from the crowd.

As the week went on, the ninja noticed extra cleaning taking place all over the castle. Guy and Kakashi were surveying the scrubbing of a portrait when Guy said, “it’s like a chunin exam, everyone wants to make a good impression, show off a bit for the other villages, or in this case, schools.”

Kakashi answered with an ambiguous grunt. “Nothing promotes peace and fellowship like young people trying to kill each other.”

“But they aren’t trying to kill each other!”

Kakashi raised an eyebrow, “that we know of. Do you know what the tasks are? Because I do not.”

“They wouldn’t take special pains to keep the champions safe and then have the task be to maim each other,” Guy argued. 

“Not directly, no,” Kakashi replied. “But if a champion happens to trip…” Kakashi shrugged. “Don’t pretend you forgot what they were like last year before the Quidditch Final. They’re different from us but we’re not _so_ different.”

Finally the 30th of October had arrived. The guards had noticed on their rounds the night before that great banners had been hung in the Great Hall. There was one banner for each house, scarlet, blue, yellow, and green with their mascots embroidered on them: golden lion, bronze eagle, black badger, and silver serpent, respectively. There was another large banner hung over the staff table with the Hogwarts coat of arms on it.

The students oohed and ahhed at the banners as they came down for breakfast. All Kakashi could think was that the banners gave Tenzo an excellent place to hide. Apparently he’d almost been caught a few times when someone got it into their head that the ceilings needed to be scrubbed.


	7. Worst First Impressions

**Chapter 6: Worst First Impressions**

That evening the entire school went out onto the front lawn to greet their guests. Each of the guards, minus Tenzo, stood by their usual house. Kakashi didn’t feel cold in his sleeveless shirt and armor but he saw a first year shivering nearby. On closer inspection, however, it seemed that the wizard was just excited. Kakashi wasn’t one for public displays of emotion but he was looking forward to seeing what other wizards and witches were like.

Kakashi glanced over at his team. He could tell that Kurenai and Cedric were discussing something between themselves but neither of them were looking at the other. Cedric was watching for the arrival of the other school delegates. Kurenai was scanning the crowd for any trouble. Guy gave Kakashi a “thumbs up” and flashed a grin. Kakashi ignored this and turned his eyes to Ebisu, who gave him a nod and continued to observe everyone else.

Then Dumbledore said, “if I’m not mistaken, I believe I see the delegation from Beauxbatons approaching.”

“Where?” Students called out excitedly, trying to look everywhere at once.

“There,” someone shouted. Everyone followed the direction in which the student pointed, into the sky.

The object the wizard had spotted in the sky got larger and larger. It became so large that Kakashi began to wonder if they should be concerned about where they were standing. The object was the size of a large house and was pulled by very large winged horses. When it entered the light cast by the castle, everyone could see that it was an extremely large carriage.

Some of the students who were in front drew back in fear. Kakashi took this as a sign that he needed to move up. His team followed suit so that the four of them stuck out in front of the regular line of students, almost as if they were volunteering to do something. The horses and then the carriage landed with a crash. The giant palominos tossed their heads, manes shining in the light of the castle.

There was no movement for a moment, then a boy in light blue robes jumped down from the carriage. He let down some steps and opened the coach door. A beautiful woman about Hagrid’s size stepped out. Some students gasped, whether at her elegant clothes or her size, Kakashi couldn’t tell.

Dumbledore began to clap politely and his students took their cue and followed suit. The woman smiled at them graciously and stepped forward to meet Dumbledore, who had extracted himself from the line of teachers in the back.

“My dear Madame Maxine, welcome to Hogwarts,” Dumbledore greeted her. The two of them exchanged pleasantries.

“My pupils,” Maxine gestured at them as they exited the carriage as well. One dozen wizards and witches were produced from the carriage. They gazed at the castle and shivered in the cold. Their uniforms were made of thin material and not one of them had a cloak on over their robes.

“Has Karkaroff arrived yet?” Madame Maxine asked.

“Not as of yet,” Dumbledore answered. “Would you prefer to go inside and warm up or wait out here for him?”

“We should warm up I think,” the large woman said. “But the horses need to be attended to.”

Dumbledore smiled, “I’m sure our Care of Magical Creatures professor would be delighted to care for them.”

“Are you certain? They need a very firm hand,” the half-giant didn’t seem to be convinced that anyone at Hogwarts could handle the great steeds.

“He’s extremely capable,” Dumbledore assured her.

“Very well,” the large woman said, glancing around. She knew what British wizards looked like but there were four young people standing in front of the line of students that caught her eye. “Dumbledore, do you have exchange students this year?”

Dumbledore smiled, “not this year. These are some guards we’ve hired for extra protection during the tournament.”

“They’re so young to be guards,” the headmistress said, gazing at them.

Kakashi pretended not to hear that and stared ahead impassively. _I wonder what she’d think of Tenzo?_

Eyes still on the ninja, Madame Maxine waved to her students and they followed her into the warmth of the castle.

The Hogwarts students continued to wait outside. The night was silent for a couple of minutes but then Ron said, “do you hear that?”

Down by the lake the water had begun to rise, overflowing its banks. There was a disturbance of bubbling and gurgling taking place at the center of the lake. The water was churning and formed itself into a massive whirlpool. A pole seemed to rise out of the turbulent pool, then they saw the rigging attached to what they now realized was a mast. An entire ship was rising out of the lake. It looked skeletal without sails and the portholes were lit, giving it the look of a jack-o-lantern. The ship steered to the near shore, seemingly of its own accord, and once it arrived an anchor splash could be heard.

In the dim light the Hogwarts students could see that a plank had been put down on the shore and that people were stepping onto solid ground. The silhouette figures approached and finally came into view. The students who’d emerged from the ship all wore brown fur cloaks that made them look enormous. The exception was the Headmaster, who had silvery white furs instead of brown.

“Dumbledore how are you?” The tall man greeted Hogwarts’s Headmaster.

“Blooming Professor Karkaroff, thank you for asking,” Dumbledore replied. The two men shook hands.

“Dear old Hogwarts,” Karkaroff looked up at the castle. His eyes were cold despite his smile. Then even his smile faded when his eyes lowered to the long line of people, specifically to four people standing in front. He didn’t say anything besides, “do you mind if we hurry in? Viktor has a bit of a head cold.”

“Not at all,” Dumbledore said. “Madame Maxine is already here so why don’t we all go inside?”

The students dutifully filed into the Great Hall after their guests.

“Viktor Krum Harry! Can you believe it?” Ron said, standing on his toes to try to see Krum better.

Kakashi put his hand on top of Ron’s head and pushed him down to his regular height. “He’s your guest Ron, not something to be gawked at,” Kakashi chided. 

“But he’s Viktor Krum Kakashi!”

“I don’t care if he’s the First Fire Shadow,” Kakashi paused, _that sounded weird in English_. “It’s disrespectful. How do you feel when people crowd Harry?”

Ron looked at Harry, a bulb lighting up in his head, “oh, yeah.”

Harry gave his friend a reassuring smile. “It’s nice to have everyone stare at someone else, but we don’t want Krum to feel badgered.” 

Hermione was mouthing “Fire Shadow” to herself and nodded in distracted agreement.

The three went and sat down at the Gryffindor table and Kakashi stood nearby against his usual piece of wall. The students from Beauxbatons had sat at the Ravenclaw table. The delegation from Durmstrang was still standing in the doorway, unsure of where to sit.

“Budge in Hermione, make some space,” Ron hissed.

“What?” Hermione responded in surprise.

“Oh, too late,” Harry said.

The Durmstrang students had sat down at one end of the Slytherin table. Malfoy began to chat with one of the foreign wizards across from him. The new group looked more approachable after they removed their fur cloaks.

One of the wizards from Durmstrang caught sight of Guy in his all too familiar green spandex. Guy saw the wizard’s look and gave him a beaming smile in response. The young wizard burst out, “who in the world is that buffoon?”

Everyone at the Slytherin table froze. The first person to move was another Durmstrang student who smacked his schoolmate upside the head. He said something to his companion that the Slytherins didn’t understand. Guy clearly heard the words, “don’t be rude you idiot.”

What happened immediately after that shocked the assembled student body. Draco and other members of his house glanced at each other. Then, as one, the Slytherins stood, moved to the end of the table that Guy was standing by, and resettled in their new seats. This left the Durmstrang delegation isolated at the other end of the table.

Kakashi’s visible eyebrow rose into his headband. Ron’s mouth dropped open. Harry almost laughed but wasn’t sure if he should so he changed it into a cough at the last second.

Hermione just shook her head. “Ebisu is right; Guy really does have a way with people.”

Luckily for the outspoken student, his apology didn’t have to be any more public than it already was. He happened to get up to speak with Guy just when Madame Maxine entered the Great Hall. The Beauxbatons students, in their usual sign of respect, leapt to their feet and everyone turned to stare at them instead. The only people who saw the wizard apologize were those seated at the Slytherin table and Kakashi’s team.

Kakashi watched as Guy gave the embarrassed wizard a thumbs up. The green-clad ninja even managed to get some of the students at his table to intermingle again before Madame Maxine had even sat down. Dumbledore remained standing and, in the Hogwarts style of respect, the hall fell silent.

Dumbledore greeted everyone cordially and the feast began.

A few minutes in, a witch from Beauxbatons came over to the Gryffindor table to see if they were done with their bouillabaisse. Her hair was a long straight sheet of silvery blonde. Her blue eyes were like a snare that tripped you up if you looked into them. Ron nearly choked.

“She’s a veela,” Ron whispered to Harry very seriously after the witch had gone.

“Honestly,” Hermione chided him, “she couldn’t possibly be. Besides, you don’t see any of the other boys gaping at her like an idiot.”

Clearly Hermione hadn’t looked over at Ebisu lately. The new chunin stood at the end of the Ravenclaw table, which wasn’t unusual. What was unusual was that Ebisu had his back to the table and was focusing very hard on a particular stone in the far wall.

“Who’s that,” the Beauxbatons witch with the blue eyes asked while nodding at Ebisu.

Cho followed her gaze, “that’s Ebisu, one of the guards for the school this year. He’s nice but really quiet.”

“And him?”

“Kakashi. I think he’s their captain or something.”

Hearing Cho’s response, Ebisu turned and saw the ANBU approaching him. He was more embarrassed than ever.

When Kakashi arrived at the Ravenclaw table he stood next to Ebisu. “Switch with me,” the silver-haired ninja requested while staring at the wall himself.

“What?”

“Fred and George are pestering me about my mask again. Switch with me. Just for this evening,” Kakashi insisted, still examining the wall.

Ebisu looked at his captain’s expressionless profile. “Yes sir.” Ebisu eagerly walked over and joined the Gryffindors. He noticed that Fred and George were huddled together in urgent conversation, not paying attention to anyone else much less his captain. Ebisu smiled and helped himself to some of the food that was even more exotic than usual.

Meanwhile, at the Ravenclaw table, Kakashi sat down to eat. “Is there any meat left that’s on the rare side?” He asked with an eye smile. The blue-eyed witch that had asked about him just a moment ago passed him a French dish with a smile. “Thank you,” he said, taking it from her.

Kurenai, one table over, had finished eating and kept an eye on the exchange. _Good luck with that_ , she thought, watching the witch watch Kakashi.


	8. Champions Chosen

**Chapter 7: Champions Chosen**

When everyone had finished eating, Dumbledore stood to speak. The hall fell silent. This was the moment the students had been waiting for. First Dumbledore introduced Bartemius Crouch and Ludo Bagman and explained that they, along with the three headmasters, would be the panel of judges during the tournament.

“The casket, if you please, Mr. Filch.”

The caretaker brought forth an antique wooden chest encrusted with gems. Murmurs arose from among the students as the box was placed in front of Dumbledore.

“There will be three tasks,” Dumbledore continued, “spaced throughout the year to test each champion’s daring, deduction, magical prowess, and their ability to cope with danger. The champions will be chosen by an impartial judge: the Goblet of Fire.” Upon saying this, Dumbledore took out his wand and tapped it three times on the top of the chest. The lid slowly opened. The headmaster reached in and withdrew a large wooden cup that had blue flames licking out of it. He then closed the casket with his other hand and placed the goblet on top of the chest.

“Anyone wishing to enter as champion must write their name and school on a piece of parchment and drop it in the goblet. You have twenty-four hours to do so. Tomorrow night the goblet will return the names of those it deems most worthy to represent their school. The goblet will be placed in the Entrance Hall tonight where it will be freely accessible to any who wish to compete.

“To prevent any underage students from yielding to temptation, I will be drawing an Age Line around the Goblet of Fire. No one under the age of seventeen will be able to cross it.

“Finally, I must impress upon you that this tournament is not to be taken lightly. Once the Goblet of Fire has chosen you, you enter into a binding magical contract. There can be no changes of heart once you have been chosen as champion. You must see it through to the end. Therefore, think hard and be very sure that you want to play before entering your name.”

The Great Hall was silent. “Now,” Dumbledore said, the usual cheerfulness returning to his voice, “it’s time for bed. Good night everyone.”

“An age line,” George repeated as they headed for the door to the Great Hall, “that should be easy! An aging potion should do the trick!”

“It’s not like the goblet is going to know whether you’re seventeen or not,” Fred added excitedly.

“Interesting,” Kakashi said. Fred and George jumped, Kakashi hadn’t been behind them a second ago.

Harry couldn’t help himself, “what’s interesting?”

“Interesting that a couple of sixteen year-olds think that they have a chance of getting their names into that goblet, much less surviving the competition, when they can’t even steal a mask from a fifteen year-old non-wizard. They won’t let you two compete as a unit you know,” Kakashi smiled and walked on ahead.

“He just loves putting a damper on things doesn’t he?” George said cheerfully.

“Is he seriously trying to imply that he’s as powerless as a muggle?” Fred asked. “Not possible.”

The next morning everyone rose early, despite it being Saturday. The students were simply too excited to stay in bed any longer and everyone hurried down to the Entrance Hall. Many students were crowded around either the goblet itself, if they were of age, or around the age line if they weren’t.

Kakashi looked around and then stepped into an abandoned room off of the Entrance Hall. He closed the door and waited. It didn’t take long for Tenzo to teleport in front of him. “Sorry I didn’t catch you when we changed shifts. Anything to report?” Kakashi asked.

“I did what you asked. I still have to run a few more tests but I have a theory,” Tenzo replied.

Kakashi waited.

“I think that if the wood has magical properties, then it’s impossible for me to manipulate. If it is simply encouraged to grow with magic, then it’s not a problem. The trees in the forbidden forest and some saplings in the greenhouses reacted normally. The Whomping Willow however…” Tenzo trailed off.

Kakashi smiled, “don’t worry, not even Guy’s youthful spirit has been able to conquer that tree.”

“About that tree,” Tenzo went on, “it acts a lot like one I saw in the Forest of Death, but that one was much smaller than the one here.”

Kakashi said nothing.

“Kakashi, did your team bring a piece of that tree to the Leaf?” Tenzo asked.

But Kakashi had already slipped out the door back into the Entrance Hall. His silence was all the confirmation Tenzo needed.

The older ninja returned just in time to see Fred and George flying through the air away from the goblet. _What the-?_

Kakashi leapt, grabbing George and breaking his fall several paces away from the age line. He saw Ebisu, who had just entered from the other door, rescue Fred similarly. Kakashi was supporting George but when the wizard didn’t immediately stand of his own power, Kakashi dropped him.

Hands now free, the jonin reached for a kunai, eye scanning the crowd for the spell caster, when he heard George quickly say, “it’s our fault Kakashi.”

Kakashi turned and looked at George, then his brother. Fred and George had begun to laugh, as had the rest of the students. Long white beards were sprouting from their adolescent faces. They stroked the new hair experimentally. Kakashi relaxed and withdrew his hand from his pouch.

“I did warn you,” an older voice chuckled. Dumbledore stood in the doorway to the Entrance Hall. “I suggest you go see Madam Pomfrey. She’s already attending to Mr. Summers of Hufflepuff and Miss Fawcett of Ravenclaw who tried something similar. Although, neither of their beards were nearly as fine as yours.”

Fred and George made their way up to the hospital wing. They were accompanied by Lee Jordan, who couldn’t seem to stop laughing.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione, chuckling themselves, went into the Great Hall for breakfast. Somehow Kakashi had gotten there first and was sitting at the table before they even arrived.

The dining area had been redecorated again for Halloween. A colony of bats flew about above the students’ heads. Large jack-o-lanterns were stuck in every corner. The topic of discussion was far from the usual October festivities however.

“I heard that Warrington got up early and put his name in,” Dean said. At Hermione’s confused look he expanded, “that big bloke from Slytherin who looks like a sloth?”

“I’ve played him in Quidditch,” Harry added. “We just _can’t_ have a Slytherin as our champion.”

“And why ever not?” Guy said, approaching their table. “The youthfulness of Slytherin House burns just as brightly as your own.” He looked up from the fourth years gaping at him, “good morning Kakashi.”

Kakashi gave him a lazy, two-fingered salute.

Just then, a cheering arose from the entrance to the Great Hall. Everyone swiveled around to look and see what the commotion was. Angelina Johnson, embarrassed but grinning, had just entered the hall. She hurried over to the Gryffindor table. “Well, I’ve just done it, I put my name in,” the Chaser said with a smile.

“Well I’m glad someone from Gryffindor is entering,” Hermione said with a smile. “I hope you get it Angelina.”

“Thanks.”

“Yeah,” Seamus said, “better you than that pretty-boy Diggory.” Some passing Hufflepuffs glared at him.

000000

That night, Kakashi watched the students from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang enter the Great Hall, followed by Harry, Ron, and Hermione. “Where have you three been?” Kakashi asked, suspiciously.

“Just visiting Hagrid,” Harry responded. “Have you noticed him acting kind of odd around Madame Maxine?”

Kakashi looked over at the staff table. Hagrid was attempting to comb out his wet mane with his fork. When the utensil began to bend the gamekeeper withdrew it and stared at it in confusion. He then pulled out his wand, repaired the fork, and started again.

“There seems to be a lot of oddity going on around here,” Hermione agreed, glaring behind Kakashi.

Kakashi looked over his shoulder to see four Beauxbatons girls twisted around in their seats and looking at him. He asked politely, “do you need something?”

Their faces turned pink and they whipped around so fast, Harry was sure they must have injured themselves. Hermione scoffed, rolling her eyes.

Kakashi looked back at the Gryffindors, visible eyebrow raised, “odd indeed.”

Fred and George came in just then, clean shaven and smiling. “Hope it’s Angelina,” Fred said sitting down.

“Me too,” Hermione said. “We’ll find out soon enough.”

At long last, for the feast seemed to take longer than normal, the plates cleared and Dumbledore stood. “I suspect we have another minute before the goblet makes its decision. When the champions are chosen, I ask that they please proceed to the far chamber,” he indicated a door behind the staff table, “to receive their first instructions.”

With a wave of his wand, Dumbledore extinguished all the lights in the Great Hall except for the jack-o-lanterns. The sudden darkness and spooky atmosphere made the already excited students ooh and ahh.

 _Just like the chunin exams, it’s all about presentation,_ Kakashi thought. 

The Goblet of Fire was now the brightest light in the room, the blue-white flames dancing endlessly in the bowl of the cup. The flames suddenly turned red and sparks emitted from the cup.

“I hope that’s _supposed_ to happen,” Kurenai muttered to herself.

A larger bit of flame than the rest shot out of the goblet and with it, a piece of parchment. The students gasped. Dumbledore caught the fluttering piece of paper. The flames in the goblet had resumed their blue-white color. The headmaster held the paper up to the blue light to read, “the Champion from Durmstrang will be Viktor Krum.” 

Guy clapped heartily with the Slytherins as Krum stood and made his way to the door Dumbledore had indicated. Once the quidditch player had disappeared through the door the flames in the goblet turned red once again. Everyone went silent.

A second red flame shot out of the goblet. Dumbledore also caught this piece of parchment and announced, “the Champion from Beauxbatons is Fleur Delacour!”

“Ron it’s her,” Harry whispered. The blue-eyed witch they’d encountered earlier rose gracefully to her feet and proceeded up the aisle.

“Oh they’re so disappointed,” Hermione said, watching the rest of the students from Beauxbatons.

Kakashi had been watching Ebisu’s controlled face. At Hermione’s comment, the jonin turned and saw several of the Beauxbatons students sobbing and embracing each other. _Yep, definitely going to be worse than the Quidditch Final._

After Fleur also disappeared the room was thick with excitement. The Hogwarts Champion was the only one left. The members of the four houses held their collective breath as the flames turned red once more.

The third piece of parchment shot out and Dumbledore grasped it firmly. “The Hogwarts Champion is Cedric Diggory.”

The room exploded with cheers from the Hufflepuff table. They were all on their feet, slapping Cedric on the back as he passed. Kurenai clapped along with the rest of them, shaking her head. The cheering was so loud and went on for so long that Dumbledore actually had a hard time making himself heard.

“Excellent! Excellent! Now we have our three champions! I’m sure I can count on all of you to give your champion your support and encou-” Dumbledore abruptly stopped talking. The flames in the Goblet of Fire had gone red once more. A long tongue of flame shot out a fourth piece of parchment. Dumbledore, amazingly, caught it despite his obvious shock. He stared at the parchment and the entirety of the rooms’ occupants stared at him.

Dumbledore cleared his throat and said very clearly, “Harry Potter.”


	9. Now What?

**Chapter 8: Now What?**

The Great Hall was dead silent. Even the bats seemed to have ceased flapping their wings at this astonishing turn of events. Harry stared at Dumbledore and almost everyone else stared at Harry. Dumbledore and Kakashi, however, looked at each other. Dumbledore gave the slightest turn of his head toward the chamber where the champions waited. Kakashi nodded and silently walked over to Harry in the dead quiet hall. 

Even though the guard whispered, his voice sounded loud in the silent atmosphere, “let’s go Harry, we’ll sort this out.” 

This jerked Harry out of his trace. He looked up at Kakashi, confusion making his eyes wide. He got up from the table and began walking up the row with Kakashi right behind him. All Kakashi could think was, _who’s trying to kill this kid_ now _?_

Harry felt like the guard was escorting him to his execution. The silent stares from all directions made the air heavy in the wizard’s lungs. When Harry finally got to the door, he tripped a little on the doorframe. Kakashi grabbed his arm to steady him and they both entered the chamber behind the staff table. 

The other champions were huddled near the fire in the stone chamber. The three seventeen year-olds looked up when Kakashi and Harry walked in. The guard’s visible eyebrow was furrowed in thought. Harry looked white as a sheet.

Fleur spoke first. “Oh hello,” she said to Kakashi, not even looking at Harry. When Kakashi didn’t respond she tried again, “what is it? Are we needed back in the hall?”

Cedric caught sight of Harry and stepped away from the fireplace. The frightened look on the Gryffindor’s face made Cedric uneasy. “Harry, what’s wrong?”

Fleur looked at Harry for the first time, then at Cedric, and back at Harry.

When Harry didn’t answer, Cedric’s concern grew. He looked at the ninja, “Kakashi what-”

Just then the door burst open. Ludo Bagman waltzed in. “Extraordinary,” he cried. He walked toward Harry and looked like he meant to grab him. Kakashi subtly moved in front of the young wizard to divert the over-excited official. Bagman paused but quickly redirected his excitement at the seventeen year-olds. “Gentleman…lady, may I introduce to you, strange as it may seem, the **fourth** Triwizard Champion!”

Viktor’s hawk-like features zeroed in on Harry, his dark eyebrows furrowing. Cedric’s face held a textbook look of blank confusion, looking between Harry’s white face and Bagman’s bright red one. Fleur tossed her hair, “oh, I see, funny joke Mr. Bagman.”

“Oh I’m not joking,” Ludo said, too cheerfully for Kakashi’s liking. “This boy’s name just came out of the Goblet of Fire.”

Viktor’s eyebrows rose suddenly while Cedric’s furrowed. Fleur said, “but there must be some mistake. He can’t compete, he’s too young.”

A small part of Kakashi’s brain ran a scenario where Tenzo competed with these three wizards in any type of tournament. That corner of his brain chuckled a little as the ANBU member beat each of them in turn, despite his young age.

Ludo spoke, “the age restriction has only been put in this year and since the goblet has chosen him, he’s obligated to compete. It says that right in the rules so there’s really no backing out of it now.”

“Dumbledore said he’s obligated to compete _if he enters_ ,” Kakashi clarified with emphasis. “Did you enter your name Harry?”

Harry shook his head urgently, eyes still wide but more in fear now than shock. Daydreaming about being in the tournament was one thing, but Hermione was right, they hadn’t learned enough yet to really stand a chance.

Ludo was ignorant of Harry’s pleas however. He was busy looking at Kakashi as if he’d appeared out of nowhere. “And who are you? A fifth champion?”

Kakashi was saved from having to answer such a ridiculous question by the entrance of Professor Dumbledore, Mr. Crouch, Professor Karkaroff, Madame Maxine, Professor McGonagall, and Professor Snape. Kakashi wondered briefly why the head of Slytherin House was there when Fleur spoke.

“Madame Maxine, they are saying this little boy is going to compete also!”

Kakashi felt a twinge of sympathy for Harry at that comment but said nothing.

“What is the meaning of this Dumbledore?” Madame Maxine said, drawing herself up.

“I’d like to know that myself Dumbledore,” Professor Karkaroff added. “Two Hogwarts Champions? I wasn’t aware that the host school got two competitors. If we’d known your Age Line could be so easily beaten, then we would have brought a wider selection of students.”

“If you’re looking for someone to fault for this, look no further than Potter himself,” Snape sneered. “He’s been crossing lines ever since he arrived at this school.”

“Thank you Severus,” Dumbledore said firmly. Snape continued to glare at Harry. Dumbledore looked at Harry and Harry looked back at him, willing the headmaster to see that he should not, could not, compete in this tournament. 

“Did you put your name in the goblet Harry?” Dumbledore’s voice was very calm.

“Like I told Kakashi, no.”

“Who is he by the way?” Ludo asked, gesturing at the guard.

Dumbledore ignored him and continued to look Harry in the eye, “did you ask one of the older students to do it for you?” 

_Wait, would that have worked?_ Kakashi thought in surprise. _That seems to be a major flaw in the whole system._

“No,” Harry said, stronger this time.

“But he’s lying of course,” Madame Maxine said. Snape was shaking his head at Harry, disgust written all over his face.

Karkaroff spoke, “Mr. Bagman, Mr. Crouch, you are impartial in this. Wouldn’t you agree that this is most irregular?”

Ludo pulled his eyes away from Kakashi and looked at Mr. Crouch. His colleague stared into the fire. “We must follow the rules,” Mr. Crouch said. “And those rules state very clearly that any names that emerge from the Goblet of Fire are bound to compete in the tournament.”

_This is ludicrous._ “This is ludicrous,” Kakashi said. “By that logic, anyone over seventeen could have dropped in _my_ name or Professor Snape’s. If _we_ were chosen would _we_ be bound to compete in the tournament? Why is someone bound to compete when they did not consent to being entered?”

Everyone stared at Kakashi as if he had grown a second head on his shoulders. His protestations were ignored. 

“Who is this man?!” Mr. Bagman cried in frustration, gesticulating at the silver-haired ninja. 

“This is Kakashi,” Dumbledore replied calmly. “He’s the captain of the guards that I hired to protect the school this year.”

“And last year,” Snape muttered. McGonagall shot him a stern look. 

“Dumbledore,” Karkaroff said, “I insist that we be allowed to resubmit the names of our students until all three schools have two champions. It’s only fair.”

“The Goblet of Fire has extinguished,” Mr. Crouch said. “It won’t reignite until the next tournament.”

“Which Durmstrang will most certainly not be competing in,” Karkaroff declared. “After all our negotiations and compromises, this is how you treat us?”

_Negotiations?_ Kakashi thought. _Were these schools at war? We have less trouble setting up the chunin exams._

“I have half a mind to leave right now,” the wizard continued.

“We all know that that’s an empty threat Karkaroff,” came a gruff voice from the doorway.

Everyone turned to see Professor Moody standing there. “What do you mean?” Karkaroff demanded, his hands balling into fists.

“You won’t leave your champion now. He has to compete, they all have to compete,” his eye landed on Harry. “Binding magical contract remember? Kind of convenient don’t you think?” 

“Convenient for Hogwarts maybe,” Karkaroff scoffed.

“Yes, it’s not fair that they get two champions instead of one. We’ll be filing complaints with your ministry,” Madame Maxine huffed.

“If anyone should be complaining it should be Potter, but it’s funny how he’s not saying a word,” Moody continued.

“Why should he complain?” Fleur asked angrily. “He gets a chance to compete doesn’t he? We’ve all been hoping for weeks to get into this tournament. The glory for our school, the prize money, many would die for this chance!”

“Maybe someone _is hoping_ Harry dies,” Kakashi said, silencing her. He looked around at them, “you can’t think of anyone who’d want to kill _The Boy Who Lived_?”

“Please Kakashi,” Professor McGonagall said, “not in front of Potter.”

“I’m not a child,” Harry spoke up.

“Yes you are,” Kakashi said firmly, looking Harry straight in the eye. “But you shouldn’t be treated like one.” 

“You’re only a year older than I am!” Harry protested, forgetting about the others in the room for a moment.

Kakashi said the next statement very low so only the Gryffindor could hear. “Harry, you haven’t seen the things that I’ve seen. _Prepare yourself_ to be an adult, but don’t wish for it or attempt to speed up the process.”

“The captain of your guard is fifteen?” Karkaroff asked Dumbledore, incredulous. “He’s not even of age!”

“He is where he comes from,” McGonagall said defensively.

Kakashi only had a moment to marvel at her before Madame Maxine asked, “and where is that?”

“None of your concern,” Kakashi replied, bringing the conversation to a dead halt with the steel in his voice.

Moody’s eyes were still on the jonin when he said, “either way, _if_ Potter put his name into the Goblet of Fire, he still would have needed to confound the cup into thinking that Hogwarts needed two champions, or created a fourth school so that he was the only one in his category. The Goblet of Fire is a very powerful magical object and it would have taken quite a charm to bamboozle it. Although I’ve been impressed with Potter in my class so far, he hasn’t shown that kind of ability.”

The group fell silent. Dumbledore spoke, “how this situation arose is a mystery but the fact remains that Harry will have to compete.” Madame Maxine and Professor Karkaroff began to argue again but Dumbledore cut them off. “You both know the penalty for breaking the contract.”

The headmaster and headmistress both closed their mouths and looked at Harry. He was suddenly very uncomfortable.

Dumbledore added, “if either of you have an alternative, I’d love to hear it.”

The room remained silent. McGonagall gave Harry a pitying look. Snape scowled. Kakashi wanted to know what the penalty was but held his tongue. 

“Shall we crack on then?” Bagman said, chipper once more.

Crouch spoke, “the first task is to test your daring, so we will not be telling you what it is. Courage in the face of the unknown is an important quality in every wizard.

“The first task will take place on November 24th in front of the panel of judges and the remaining students.

“The champions are not permitted to ask for any help from their teachers to complete the tasks in the tournament. They will face the first challenge armed with only their wands. They will receive information about the second task once the first is completed. Due to their participation in the tournament, the headmasters and headmistress are exempting the champions from taking their end of year exams. When they take their NEWTS for career advancement is up to them.” Crouch stopped and looked at Dumbledore, “I believe that’s everything Albus?”

“Yes,” Dumbledore said. He looked at Crouch’s pale features with mild concern, “are you sure you won’t stay at the school tonight Barty?”

“No, I must get back to the ministry. Very busy you know,” Mr. Crouch said tiredly. “I left young Weatherby in charge.”

Harry desperately wanted to tell Mr. Crouch that Percy’s last name was Weasley but he felt uncomfortable as it was.

“You’ll at least stay for a drink?” Dumbledore offered.

“Come on Barty,” Bagman encouraged. “I’m staying. Take a load off!”

“It’s really quite impossible Ludo,” Mr. Crouch said coldly.

“Madame Maxine? Professor Karkaroff? A night cap?” Dumbledore offered. 

However the two in question, and their students, had already departed. Dumbledore sighed. “Cedric, Harry, you two had better go up to bed. Your respective houses are, no doubt, waiting to celebrate with you.” Dumbledore smiled. “I’m sure this would be an excellent opportunity to make a great deal of noise.”

Harry glanced shyly at Cedric, who had nodded.

As they walked through the deserted Great Hall, Cedric said, “so, we get to play against each other one last time.”

Harry nodded, unable to speak.

Cedric looked at Harry and asked, disbelieving, “you really didn’t do it, did you?”

Harry looked up at him and shook his head. Hope rose in his chest that someone besides Kakashi believed him. 

Cedric whistled and said, “then we’d better watch each other’s backs.” Then Cedric smiled and continued, “because when I beat you this time, I want it to be fair and square, and not because someone was messing with you.” 

Harry gave a strangled laugh. “My life does seem to get pretty messed up sometimes.”

Cedric gave him a sad smile and a slap on the shoulder, “see you at breakfast.” With that they parted ways. Cedric headed for a door to his right and Harry ascended the marble staircase.

Meanwhile, back in the chamber behind the staff table, Dumbledore and Kakashi were the only ones who hadn’t yet departed.

“That was very dangerous, putting yourself in a position to be scrutinized,” Dumbledore said. “If nothing else, Madame Maxine and Professor Karkaroff will be keeping a closer eye on you and quite possibly using their resources to find out about your homeland.”

“All they have is my name and my age, that won’t get them anywhere,” Kakashi assured him. “Besides, my job is to protect the students and Harry definitely needed some protection.”

Dumbledore nodded.

“Who could have done this?” Kakashi asked.

Dumbledore sighed and said, “I believe we’re heading for another wizarding war. It’s part of the reason why I asked Alastor here this year. It’s why I want him to teach the students how to throw off the Imperius Curse. Voldemort is still out there and his followers are gathering like they haven’t in many years. He could very easily rise to power once more.”

The two men sat in silence for a time.

“When my master died,” Kakashi began slowly, “he sacrificed himself to save the village. However, since our leader was dead, it left us in a vulnerable position and Lord Third had to take up the mantle of Fire Shadow once again. The Third Fire Shadow passed his responsibilities on for a reason. If we go to war again, I don’t believe he will survive to see it to completion.” 

Kakashi’s words hung in the air. Finally Dumbledore said, “well, I suppose we have to go to sleep sometime.” Kakashi turned and looked at the wizard who made a shooing motion with his hand, “off to bed with you.”


	10. Toil and Trouble

**Chapter 9: Toil and Trouble**

The next morning the students were still talking excitedly about the events of the previous evening. Theories about how Harry got his name in the goblet flew back and forth, unless they hit the brick wall that was the Hufflepuff table.

Hufflepuff House had indeed been ready to celebrate Cedric the night before but there were just as many who were ready to denounce the “phony Hogwarts champion”. Immediately after seeing some badges that someone had whipped up, Cedric stood on one of the study tables and quieted everyone down. Once they were listening, he explained what had happened with the champions in the other room and that Harry had not entered his own name. This was met with mixed reactions. Some said Cedric was just being nice, others argued that Harry had fooled Cedric somehow. But the majority of the house, led by the Quidditch Team, believed Cedric and by extension, Harry. 

So Kakashi stood at the Gryffindor table and watched as Cedric set a Ravenclaw girl straight about how Harry’s name got in the goblet. After talking to Hermione about it, the ninja found it interesting that Hufflepuff House believed Harry but Gryffindor House did not. Kakashi then watched Hermione sneak out of the Great Hall with some toast for Harry so he didn’t have to come to breakfast and could avoid the other students for awhile.

Suddenly, interrupting his thoughts, Kakashi felt a tug at his mask. He looked down at it, it twitched of its own accord. “What the-?” Kakashi began as the black mask was ripped from his face and went flying into Fred’s outstretched hand. The twin went pale, his wand still upraised.

Fred and George stared, the entire Gryffindor table stared, some of the Ravenclaws looked up, along with some students from Beauxbatons. Ebisu’s jaw dropped, Kurenai’s mouth was in the shape of an “o”, Tenzo nearly fell from his hiding place in the rafters, and Guy just crossed his arms and shook his head, smiling.

Guy had only seen Kakashi’s dark gray, secondary mask once before but the other three didn’t even know it existed.

“He’s got another mask under that one?!” George exclaimed.

“You’ve got to be kidding me!” Fred cried.

Kakashi held out his hand for his mask, “you’ve got five seconds.”

Instead of returning the mask, Fred bolted for the exit. George was right behind him. The school watched, enthralled.

“One,” Kakashi began to count in the quiet of the hall. “Two…” The twins were almost to the door. “Three.”

“They are dead,” Colin told his brother.

The red-heads plowed through a group of Beauxbatons boys who were on their way to breakfast.

“Are you sure?” Dennis asked.

“Four.”

“Completely,” Colin said, looking at Kakashi.

The pair sprinted as fast as they could to the broomstick shed.

“It was nice knowing ‘em,” Lee Jordan said.

“Five.”

The students, or the teachers for that matter, didn’t even see Kakashi move. He was simply gone.

Ebisu walked over to Guy at the Slytherin table. He stood close to him and whispered, “he’s not actually going to kill them right?”

Everyone continued to eat quietly, listening for screams they’d never hear.

“He might have gone easy on them if they’d just handed it back,” Guy said shaking his head, “the fools.” Guy walked to the other end of his table to help a first year witch with her homework. 

“But, wait, Guy-” Ebisu began again, when Kakashi appeared next to the Gryffindor table.

Ebisu started to walk back to the other end of the hall when the bell rang for classes to begin. Kakashi disappeared once more. “I swear, he does that on purpose,” Ebisu said, pushing his glasses up his nose.

After breakfast Professor McGonagall went to her office to do some lesson preparation. She opened the door and, as her light automatically came on, she started and barely stifled a scream. There were Fred and George, trussed up, gagged, and looking very sorry for themselves. They were suspended from the office ceiling with ninja wire strung through the collars of their robes. As McGonagall approached, she noticed a note pinned to the front of Fred’s robes.

The note read: _Professor McGonagall, I believe these are yours?_

Professor McGonagall wanted to laugh but knew she mustn’t. Instead, she waved her wand and the binding ropes fell away from the two Gryffindors but the wire in their cloaks held them firmly in place. She frowned, reached up, felt the wire, and tried a different spell. The wire snapped and the twins tumbled to the ground.

“Now then,” the head of Gryffindor House said, “how many detentions do you think you deserve?”

Meanwhile, down by the lake, Harry and Hermione were enjoying their breakfast toast. “Have you written to Sirius yet?”

Harry shook his head. “Not yet. Every time I pick up a quill I imagine him running up here, busting the gate down.” Harry smiled and then laughed. “You know, it’s really nice to know that you have someone at home who cares.”

Hermione smiled, “yes it is.” Then, “well you’d better do it soon before he reads about it in the newspaper or something. There are disadvantages to having parents. If they don’t find out about your life from you, you’re in serious trouble. Here, I’ve even got a quill and some ink with me.”

The two friends went up to the owlery and sent Hedwig on her way.

Despite the efforts of Hufflepuff House and the few people who believed Harry, there were still bad days. Harry heard a seventh year Slytherin say, “how low do you have to be to want to steal glory from a Hufflepuff?”

Most people just gave the fourteen-year-old champion dirty looks or turned their noses up at him. If this happened when Cedric was nearby, he’d smile at Harry in the case of the latter or give those people a glare of his own if the former.

The next Saturday at breakfast, Kakashi was talking to Ebisu when Hermione walked up. “I don’t know what else to do,” she said in frustration, interrupting their conversation. Ebisu nodded sympathetically.

Kakashi looked from Ebisu to Hermione. “Am I missing something?”

“Ron and Harry are fighting, you haven’t noticed?” Ebisu asked.

Kakashi looked over at the Gryffindor table. Harry and Ron were sitting very far apart. Ron laughed a little too hard at one of Dean’s jokes and kept glancing over at Harry. “Is that what they’re doing?”

 _Forget seeing underneath the underneath, try seeing what’s on top,_ Ebisu thought, an eyebrow raised at Kakashi.

“Do you have any suggestions?” Hermione asked.

“For…?”

“Getting them to quit being stupid and talk to each other,” Ebisu said. “Did I get that about right?” He turned to his friend.

Hermione nodded.

Kakashi looked up at the ceiling and a devious smile developed underneath his mask. “Hermione, could you and Ebisu get Ron behind the greenhouses in ten minutes?”

The witch nodded, “I think so.”

“Okay, I’ll see you there.”

Kakashi signaled _meet me outside_ to seemingly no one and walked over to Harry. After saying a few words to him, Harry got up and they both walked out of the hall.

“Our turn,” Ebisu said and Hermione nodded. They started toward Ron.

000000

“What are we doing out here Kakashi?” Harry asked when they were outside. “You said you needed to talk to me about something.”

“Not exactly,” Kakashi corrected. “I told you there was something you needed to hear.”

Just then, Ron, Hermione, and Ebisu came around the corner of a greenhouse. Ron rounded on Hermione, “what’s _he_ doing here?”

“Care to adjust your tone?” Ebisu asked. The new chunin had been working on his scary look and appraised Ron over his sunglasses.

Ron took a couple of steps back toward Harry to get away, “um…”

Kakashi stepped away from Harry. “Tenzo, please put them in a box.”

“What’s a tenzo?” Ron asked, before a cage made of oak sprang out of the ground, encasing the two Gryffindors.

Hermione’s eyes widened but when Ebisu didn’t appear to be surprised she accepted that that was what was supposed to happen.

“Kakashi-” Harry began, trying at the bars.

“What is this?” Ron shouted.

Kakashi’s stern voice made itself known. “You two are going to stay in there until you talk things out. This behavior is absurd and beneath both of you. I’ll see you later when you’ve come to your senses.” To Ebisu and Hermione he said, “let’s go you two.”

Ron tried a laugh, “come on Kakashi, you can’t just leave us here.” Kakashi waved goodbye over his shoulder without turning around.

When Kakashi was out of sight Ron began yelling for help. When he did, the box began to get smaller. Ron quickly discovered that if he yelled for help the box contracted and when he stopped yelling or just talked, the box expanded and returned to its normal shape. Ron looked at Harry, Harry looked back.

“Hey,” Harry said.

“Hi,” Ron mumbled.

They were almost to the door when Hermione said, “Kakashi, should you really leave them out there like that by themselves? I know I asked for your help but don’t you think this is a little extreme?”

“Not at all Hermione,” Kakashi replied. _And they aren’t by themselves._


	11. Rita Skeeter vs. Hatake Kakashi, Round One

**Chapter 10: Rita Skeeter vs. Kakashi Hatake, Round One**

A few days later, Ebisu came running into Leaf Tower. Kakashi was stretched out on his bed reading a book.

“Something’s going on, Dumbledore wants you at the,” Ebisu paused to remember the strange phrase, “wand weighing? Do you know what he’s talking about?”

“No,” Kakashi replied snapping the book shut and placing it in his bag, “but I’d better get down there. Where are you right now?”

Ebisu frowned, “how did you know I was a clone?”

Kakashi smiled, “a captain always knows.”

Ebisu’s clone rolled his eyes behind his sunglasses. He described where the classroom was and then poofed.

Kakashi arrived at about the same time Harry did. “After you,” the ninja said, gesturing at the door.

They entered and Ludo Bagman herded Harry toward the other champions. Kakashi leaned against the wall next to the door. He heard Bagman say, “this is Rita Skeeter, she’s doing a small piece on the tournament for the _Daily Prophet_ …”

_A piece?_ Kakashi thought, then he saw the camera. _Oh, she’s a reporter. Interesting that Dumbledore threw me in a room with the people we’re specifically trying to avoid. He must have a reason for wanting me here._ The guard took stock of the people in the room, Bagman, Fleur, Cedric, Viktor, _no one unusual there_. The only new people were the Skeeter woman and the man holding the camera that followed her around. _Do the champions really need protection against the press?_ He got his answer in seconds.

“Ludo,” the bespectacled woman purred, “you wouldn’t mind if I had a little word alone with Harry before we start? The youngest champion you know, it adds a little color.”

“Certainly,” Bagman boomed, “unless Harry has an objection?”

“Er…” Harry said.

Kakashi spoke as the curly haired woman opened her mouth, cutting her off. “Absolutely not.”

Everyone turned and looked at the guard leaning against the wall. “And who is this?” the reporter asked, sizing Kakashi up.

_Well, can’t hide now,_ Kakashi thought but he ignored her question anyway.

In answer to the skeptical look on Skeeter’s face, when she had finished giving him a visual once over, Kakashi said, “you’re already wrong.” The woman frowned at him, her eyes narrowing.

Kakashi eye-smiled at the reporter. “Harry is a minor. If you want to speak with him alone, his guardian should be here with him. Isn’t that right Mr. Bagman?” Kakashi had no idea if this was true or not but he was pretty sure Bagman didn’t know either. Now that Kakashi had made that point, however, doing anything else would seem inappropriate on their part.

As Bagman began digesting Kakashi’s words, Cedric spoke up. “I’m sure Harry’s guardian Sirius Black,” Kakashi took a little too much pleasure in watching Rita flinch at the name, “would be more than happy to come up and sit in on the interview.” Cedric had a cordial smile on his face when he spoke but there was mischief in his gray eyes as he and Kakashi shared a look. 

Bagman stammered, “oh, um, quite right Cedric.” He turned to Ms. Skeeter, “would you like us to send Mr. Black an owl?”

“No, that’s alright Ludo,” Rita said, her eyes zeroed in on Kakashi. “But tell me, who is he?”

Bagman looked at Kakashi but the guard was returning Rita’s glare and not offering any information. “Kakashi is a guard for the students during the tournament.” Bagman was suddenly puzzled, realizing that that was all he knew about the young man before him.

“Where does he come from?” Rita asked, still staring Kakashi down.

The great man shrugged, “I don’t know.”

The reporter lost the staring match and looked at the former quidditch player. “What do you mean you don’t know? Is he even a wizard?”

Ludo shrugged again. “Dumbledore hired the guards, you can ask him.”

As if on cue, Dumbledore walked in with Mr. Ollivander, Mr. Crouch, Madame Maxine, and Professor Karkaroff. Rita sprang over to the headmaster, “Dumbledore, who-?”

“I would love to answer your questions Ms. Skeeter, but the weighing of the wands is about to start,” Dumbledore said cheerfully. The judges began arranging the champions into a line of chairs in front of the fireplace.

Rita hurried over to the photographer. “Get a picture of that guard or I’ll have your job.”

The wizard holding the camera looked over at the man Skeeter indicated. “I thought we were here to get pictures of the champions?”

“Then do it after,” Rita spat. “I don’t care how, just get a shot of him. This may be the bigger story.”

The camera man raised an eyebrow. “If you say so,” the man said, approaching the champions and setting up his camera.

The old wizard with large, pale eyes named Ollivander examined the wands one by one. The camera man moved about the room, photographing the event and everyone there. He seemed to be much too focused on documenting the guard however. Dumbledore grew concerned but every time the photographer snapped a photo, Kakashi had suddenly moved to a different part of the room.

By the time the wands were all examined, Rita Skeeter had some very nice moving photographs of the wall, a chair, the floor, an off-center Dumbledore waving, and several windows.

“Can we just do the group shots now?” the haggard photographer asked, wondering if he really was going to lose his job. 

“Fine,” Rita spat out, glaring at Kakashi anew. Kakashi stared straight ahead, looking bored.

After the champions and judges were photographed, Dumbledore suggested to the students that they head straight to the evening meal since classes were about to be released.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione ate together. Even though most of the Gryffindors still believed that Harry had entered himself in the tournament, at least Harry’s two best friends believed him. Kakashi thought it was good to see them getting along again and smiled at Ebisu, who’d also noticed the return of their usual eating arrangements. Apparently being locked in a box together was a very effective method of getting people to talk things out.

Just then, Hedwig made an appearance, flying down to Gryffindor table and landing on Harry’s goblet. “Oh,” Hermione exclaimed, “Sirius must have written back.”

“When did you write Sirius?” Ron asked.

“When you were being pigheaded,” Hermione deadpanned.

“I said I was sorry okay?” Ron protested. “So what does he say Harry?”

Harry laughed, “he’s apologizing for not being able to come and watch me in the first and second tasks. The letter the gaming commission sent him says that spectators, including parents and guardians, are only allowed to watch the final task.”

“That’s too bad,” Hermione said.

“He’s still worried though,” Harry continued slowly. “But he thinks that as long as Dumbledore, Kakashi, AND Moody are here I should be safe.”

Harry refolded the letter and stared at it, taking a deep breath. “He sounds really worried. I never thought that someone’d-.” Ron and Hermione looked away as Harry covertly wiped his eyes. In a stronger voice he said, “I’m fine Hermione.” She had been withdrawing a tissue from a pocket in her robes. 

Ron brightened, “at least a Hogsmeade visit is coming up; you have permission now.”

“That’s right,” Hermione said. “It’ll be nice to talk to you openly when we’re in the village.”

“No,” Harry said. “If I go, I’m wearing my cloak. I’m sick of people giving me looks.”

“Oh come on Harry,” Hermione said. “It’s not so bad. If nothing else we can visit with Ernie or some of the other Hufflepuffs.” She thought for a moment and added, “maybe I can convince some of them to join S.P.E.W.”

Ron put his face in his hands, “Hermione when are you going to give that up?”

“When house elves have wages and decent working conditions,” Hermione retorted. “Maybe it’s time for a more direct approach. Do you know how to get into the Hogwarts kitchens?”

Ron offered, “Fred and George do.”

Harry knew how to get into the kitchens from the Marauder’s Map. He was about to say so when he remembered what Hagrid said about Hermione doing the elves a disservice. He said nothing. The map remained undisturbed in his trunk.

The day of the Hogsmeade visit arrived and Ron and Hermione had finally convinced Harry to make the trip without his cloak. As they left the Great Hall to go down to the gates, they saw Ebisu, Kurenai, Kakashi, and Guy in a huddle. Ebisu and Kurenai broke away from the group and followed the students down to the village. Kurenai and Ebisu stood very close together with Kurenai speaking to Ebisu almost the whole way down. Ebisu nodded every once in awhile.

“What’s with them?” Ron asked.

Hermione’s eyes narrowed but she said nothing.

Left in the Great Hall, Guy turned to Kakashi, “I still think I would have been a better choice. Any surprise Tenzo shows would have just appeared to be my usual youthful vigor!”

Ebisu flipped down from the ceiling, “you’re so close with the Slytherins though Guy, what if one of them started talking to Tenzo pretending to be you?”

“What if one of them started talking to Tenzo pretending to be _you_?” Guy retorted.

“That doesn’t even-”

“Enough,” Kakashi cut in. “Tenzo is going to get to see the village, wasn’t that what we all wanted?”

The two chunin nodded.

“Then let’s get some training in,” Kakashi said, closing the doors to the Great Hall. “This is the only time we can practice with jutsu and I wouldn’t want you two to get rusty.”

Ebisu rolled his eyes, forming some hand signs as he did so. Six clones transformed to look like Stone ninja appeared. They quickly split up, three heading to the right, three to the left. Kakashi’s _Lightning Blade_ crackled to life. Guy formed the hand signs for a fire style jutsu.

“Kakashi, if I don’t destroy more clones than you, I’ll run five hundred laps around the lake,” Guy called.

“Why don’t we race around the lake together and save it for tomorrow?” Kakashi compromised.

Guy’s grin widened. “Just the kind of enthusiasm I’d expect from my eternal rival!”

Kakashi sighed. Ebisu looked between the two of them and shook his head. Whatever made their friendship work, he had yet to figure it out. 

That night Dumbledore summoned Kakashi to his office. As always, the gargoyle didn’t require a password from the ninja and the spiraling staircase took Kakashi straight to the top.

“Ah, Kakashi,” Dumbledore said, as if the jonin had just arrived out of the blue and not because he’d sent for him. “Lemon drop?”

Kakashi declined and Dumbledore put the bowl of sweets down. “You wanted to see me?” Kakashi prompted.

“Yes,” Dumbledore said, leaning back in his chair. “Yes I asked you to come because I thought you’d like to know that the dragons have arrived for the first task.”

Kakashi struggled to keep the surprise out of his voice. “Dragons sir? What about the first task involves dragons?”

“Oh,” Dumbledore said, “I could tell you that but then you’d tell Harry.”

Kakashi raised an eyebrow. “Am I supposed to tell Harry?”

Dumbledore waved his hand absently. “Oh if you don’t I’m sure he’ll find out about it in some way. They all will before the time comes.”

“But-” Kakashi stopped himself, the wheels in his brain turning. He was replaying what Mr. Crouch had said about the rules. Kakashi summarized, weighing the words as he said them, “the champions are not to **ask** for help, there’s nothing saying that they can’t **accept** help.”

“Precisely,” Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling.

“But sir, why aren’t you telling Harry or Cedric? I’m sure Cedric could do without the information but Harry’s way behind the others and definitely could use the help. Professor McGonagall, Professor Sprout…”

“Are not telling them anything because I asked them not to,” Dumbledore said, frowning now.

Kakashi looked at the wizard’s face for awhile. “Why?”

Dumbledore sighed, “this tournament is about international cooperation. And yet the hosting school, either by some accident or nefarious plot, has two champions. Even without the added problem of who did it or why, it is simply not good for friendly relations. So no, our champions will not be getting any help from me or my staff. And if they do I don’t want to hear about it.

“And on top of that, despite all of my precautions, my students are in danger and we still do not know who put Harry’s name into that goblet.” Dumbledore pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and index finger. “But I did not bring you up here to discuss my problems.

“Charlie Weasley is among the dragon keepers who transported the four creatures here. He’s heard all about you, and your team, and was wondering if you could give them a hand, just for the first night.” 

Kakashi imagined the look on Guy’s face when he told him that they had to grapple with dragons. A smile grew under Kakashi’s mask. “That shouldn’t be a problem sir.”

“Good,” Dumbledore said, standing. He began to pace. “They’re in the Forbidden Forest. I’d tell you where but I’m sure one of your team has already noticed their arrival.” Dumbledore stopped to look at the jonin. “Do remind him to be careful. If the centaurs see what he can do, they may not care if he’s a youth.” 

Kakashi nodded and left. The jonin caught Ebisu on his way out to patrol. “No rounds tonight, Dumbledore has something different in store for us. How’s your fireball jutsu?”


	12. Lost Chapter Number 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Takes place at the offices of the Daily Prophet.

**Lost Chapter Number Two**

“I couldn’t find anything on the guard Ms. Skeeter,” the secretary said, trembling.

“What?! That’s just not possible. There can’t be nothing. Everyone has a record, has a history, a dirty secret,” Rita snarled. “You just aren’t looking hard enough.”

“Well you only gave me his first name,” the young man began. He braced for the inevitable explosion.

“So?!”

“So the only thing I could find on that was that it’s Japanese for scarecrow,” the man stuttered out.

Rita stopped, turned, and stared at the young wizard. He could see a vein throbbing in her forehead. “Are you telling me, that even that boy’s name,” she spat out the word ‘boy’, “basically means ‘fake man’ in another language? Is that what you’re telling me?!” The last part came out as a scream.

The young man trembled, pushing himself as far back in his chair as was possible. Suddenly Rita’s face grew very calm. When this happened, the wizard gathered his things and left the room. In his experience, this mood was even more dangerous than the screaming he’d just witnessed. 

Rita stared beyond the wall at the far end of her office, her eyes blazing with a cold anger. “I’m going to make this guard wish he was never born.”

000000

“Rita, I can’t run your piece,” the editor said, leaning back. He saw the anger growing in her eyes and sat forward again. His voice serious, “I asked you to cover the tournament. What do our readers care about a guard in a mask?”

Rita tried smooth talking, “don’t you think the parents of those students would like to know that Dumbledore has hired extra guards for the tournament, without the ministry’s permission I might add, but he won’t release any information on where they came from or who they are. They could be criminals for all we know. Don’t you think that that’s a little newsworthy?”

The editor dropped the parchment with her story on it onto his desk, “not as newsworthy as a tournament that hasn’t happened in over a hundred years, where there are four champions instead of three for some unknown reason. This is the story of a lifetime, why are you wasting time on this guard?” He looked at her angry face. “This paper doesn’t have time for your personal vendettas Rita, we’ve had this problem before.”

“George,” she said very quietly, anger barely in check, “you know I can’t stand it when someone tells me ‘no’.”

“Then I’m guessing that this Kakashi and I have something in common. Now get out of my office.”

The editor, unconcerned, cast a muffling charm just before Rita exploded into uncontrollable screams. The security wizards were there within seconds, dragging Seeker from the office, her long nails leaving marks in the doorframe.

The editor rubbed the bridge of his nose. “I’ve got to get a different job.”


	13. Dancing with Dragons

**Chapter 11: Dancing with Dragons**

Team Hogwarts walked deeper and deeper into the Forbidden Forest. Tenzo was leading them.

“They’re just over there,” Tenzo said, finally stopping. “Do you want me to hide again?”

Kakashi stared into the darkness, picking out the forms of the dragon handlers. “Yes, for now. I don’t know if Dumbledore told them about you.”

Tenzo might have looked the slightest bit disappointed before he nodded and leapt into a nearby tree.

“He wants to try his wood binding against a dragon,” Ebisu said, smirking.

Kakashi nodded, “and I hope to give him that chance.” There was a pause. “Come on,” Kakashi continued, “let’s go.”

They approached the wizards with Kakashi in the lead and Guy, Kurenai, and Ebisu fanning out behind him. The group stepped into the clearing and a stocky, red-headed wizard with reflective robes met them.

“You must be the guards. Kakashi right?” The wizard shook the jonin’s hand. The guard’s hand was slender and almost disappeared in Charlie’s massive hand. Despite this, the wizard was surprised to feel the pressure of the handshake returned with equal force. “I’ve heard a lot about you. I’m Charlie Weasley.”

Kakashi introduced the rest of his team.

Charlie’s brow furrowed as he surveyed them. Kakashi raised an eyebrow, “please don’t say, ‘I thought you’d be older’.”

Charlie laughed, “oh no, I’ve heard enough of that in my lifetime that it would sicken me to say it to anyone else. No, it’s just that Dumbledore said there were five of you and-”

Tenzo leapt out of the trees behind them and landed in a crouch next to Kakashi. “This is Tenzo,” Kakashi said, as if people jumping out of trees was a perfectly normal occurrence.

Tenzo stood up and his head wasn’t even level with Charlie’s shoulder. Charlie’s eyes bugged out just the slightest bit. Kakashi appreciated his restraint. 

The young ANBU spoke up, “it’s alright. You can say it.”

“No, nope, never,” Charlie said, his eyes still on the very young guard before him.

“Dumbledore said you wanted a hand with the dragons?” Kakashi changed the subject. 

“Yeah,” Charlie said, dragging his eyes away from Tenzo. “Although I’m not sure if we’ll even need it. We gave them sleeping draughts for the trip over and we’re letting them wake up on their own here in the forest. We’re hoping that waking up somewhere dark and quiet will keep them from getting too rowdy.”

Charlie led them over to their makeshift paddock. Inside the wooden enclosure slept four female dragons: a silvery-blue one with long horns, a smooth-scaled green one, a red one with a lion-like mane of golden spikes encircling its face, and a large black one with a particularly spiky tail. 

“Now when they wake up they might be grouchy. We’ll stun them if we have to but it’d be better if we could avoid that.”

“Why?” Kakashi asked, eyeing the black dragon’s tail.

“They’re all nesting mothers and it’s better for the eggs if the mother takes care of them herself rather than us doing it. Therefore, we’d like them to be conscious as much as possible.”

“The chains won’t hold them?” Kakashi asked, observing the long lengths of chain attached to leather shackles on the dragons’ legs.

“Sometimes, if they’re agitated enough, they’ll break the chains. That’s why we have the fence in place.”

“They breathe fire right?” Kakashi asked, looking at the enclosure. “Then why is the fence made of wood?”

Charlie looked at Kakashi as if he’d never seen anything like him before. He did not respond to Kakashi’s question.

Kakashi looked back at Charlie and said, “okay, leave it to us.”

Charlie started, “um, I didn’t mean for you lot to completely take care of it for us. Besides I’m not sure-”

Kakashi held up a hand. “We can handle it. My team’s been needing to train against a serious opponent anyway. We’ll be careful not to seriously injure your charges.”

Charlie muttered, “it’s not the dragons I’m worried about.”

“Ebisu, you want to help me with the wall? I’m thinking just outside the fence perimeter,” Kakashi suggested.

Ebisu scoped the place out with his shaded eyes and nodded. “It’s a big job but we should be able to handle it. Might not leave much stamina left for dragon wrestling though,” Ebisu said.

“Let’s get started then,” Kakashi said. He turned to Charlie, “tell your people to get out and away from the paddock. We’re putting up a wall.”

Charlie looked at them in disbelief. “You’re putting up a what?”

Kurenai cut in, addressing the Weasley, “please just tell them to step back.”

Charlie looked at them all as if they were nuts, every one of them. Guy gave him a smile and a thumbs up. The wizard shook his head and ran off to inform his coworkers.

Once the wizards had been evacuated, Kakashi and Ebisu stood at one end of the paddock. Their hands flashed through the appropriate signs and then they slammed them into the ground. An ‘L’ shaped stone wall rose out of the forest floor, hugging the wooden fence and stopping when it reached the same height.

Charlie’s jaw hung slack but the ninja weren’t done. Kakashi and Ebisu made their way over to the other side of the paddock and created a flipped ‘L’ wall on the other side. The two walls made a rectangular paddock with two entrances where the corners didn’t quite meet.

Kakashi and Ebisu, their task finished, made their way over to the rest of the team at a significantly slower pace than when they’d left. Ebisu flopped down face first onto the leaf-litter next to Kurenai. She patted his shoulder sympathetically. Kakashi sat down between Tenzo and Guy, his eye closed.

Tenzo looked at him anxiously. Guy said, “are you alright Kakashi?”

“Yeah yeah,” Kakashi sighed. His eye was still closed.

Quite suddenly Kakashi fell back, still and limp, on the ground. Tenzo’s breath caught in his throat and he crouched down suddenly at his captain’s side. He relaxed when he realized that Kakashi wasn’t hurt, just exhausted. The jonin’s chest rose and fell evenly beneath his armor. 

Tenzo looked up at Guy who was still standing. Guy, seemingly used to this behavior, looked back at Tenzo and put an unnecessary finger to his lips to indicate quiet. Then the two sat down on either side of Kakashi. There was an unspoken agreement to keep an eye on things while their friend and captain caught some ‘Zs’. 

The team spent a couple of hours of waiting for the dragons to wake up. Charlie used this time to convince his fellow dragon-handlers that the school guards were going to deal with things by themselves.

“Conjuring a wall is one thing Charlie,” one wizard with a goatee said, “impressive though that wall is. But they’re going to tackle the dragons without wands? How?”

“I don’t know Philip,” the Weasley said, “but it’s not like we’ll be very far if they need help right? Besides Kakashi said that they needed the workout…or something like that.”

“They must not understand,” a witch snapped. “These are dragons Charlie, not some bar brawl or jog through the park.”

Charlie held up his hands. “Can we at least give them a chance?”

The majority of the dragon keepers grumbled but agreed. They had had a trying day and it’d be nice to have someone else take care of this stage of the process, even if they had to rescue them later.

The first dragon to stir was the Hungarian Horntail. Its slitted yellow eyes blinked open slowly. Guy motioned at Kakashi and Tenzo put his first two fingers together and tapped Kakashi’s shoulder twice. The ANBU Captain’s eye opened instantly and he sat up.

“They’re waking up?” Kakashi asked as he got to his feet.

Guy nodded, “are you okay my rival?”

“I’m fine Guy.” Then Kakashi added playfully, “I probably have more energy than you now after that refreshing nap.”

“Never,” Guy said, his concern immediately dispelled. “I will surpass you in every way with my youthful energy.”

Tenzo wasn’t so easily diverted but the knot in his stomach dissipated when Kakashi gave him an eye-smile. “Let’s go to work.”

The jet black dragon gave a disgruntled roar, waking the other three dragons. They began to stand up and pull at their chains. When they realized that their movement was restricted, they each gave a roar that blended into one overpowering noise. The red dragon shot some fireballs out in front of it. The wall held firm.

“So much for waking up calmly,” Charlie said. Then he shouted, “okay, you’re on Kakashi.”

“Kakashi, can I fight the most youthful one?” Guy asked excitedly as the five ninja approached one of the openings to the paddock. 

This time, Kakashi didn’t even have to ask. “Guy’s got the green one. Any more takers?”

“I want the maned one,” Kurenai said with a smile. She withdrew ninja wire from a pouch.

“Green for green, red for red, are we school children that we’re matching colors?” Ebisu teased.

“That’s fine Ebisu if you don’t want to do that. Tenzo can take the blue dragon and you can have the black,” Kakashi said, a smile in his voice.

Ebisu eyed the intimidating Horntail. “That’s alright captain, Tenzo can take the black one. But what are you going to do?”

Kakashi leaned against the wall, fingers interlaced behind his head. “I’m going to supervise.” Ebisu was halfway through an eye roll when Kakashi called, “heads up.” The five scattered as the Horntail shot a burst of flame at the group.

Guy jumped at the Welsh Green. He kicked it in the neck and back but then jumping just out of reach of her sharp claws and snapping jaws. The dragon grew frustrated and shot a burst of flame into the air where Guy had been a moment before. He landed smoothly behind the beast and rolled out of the way of the thrashing tail.

Meanwhile, Kurenai was taking on the Chinese Fireball. She darted in and out from underneath the red dragon, making its chained feet stomp in agitation. Kurenai wrapped the wire around the chains that were already restraining her dragon and cinched them in, toppling the beast. Oh its side, it looked agitated but didn’t try to get back up. Kurenai leapt over the great head, patted it on the cheek, and ran over to help Ebisu. It blew a half-hearted fireball after her that dissipated before it got anywhere near its target.

Meanwhile Ebisu was having issues. His kunai bounced right off of the Swedish Short-Snout’s hide. His saving grace was that he could match fireball for fireball but his cheeks looked a little singed after several bouts.

“How’s it going?” Kurenai asked, running over.

“Still working on a strategy. You’re done already?” Ebisu stole a glance over at the dejected red dragon lying in a heap.

“While you were face-down in the dirt, I came up with a plan,” Kurenai ribbed.

“You’re welcome for the wall by the way,” Ebisu shot back as they both jumped to avoid another blast of flames. “Where’s a Hyuga when you need one?” Ebisu muttered. Suddenly he said, “Kurenai, could you be a distraction for it?”

“Sure, but what are you going to do?” Kurenai shouted, avoiding a tail slash. Suddenly a wall of water rose up on Kurenai’s right. Steam erupted into the air creating a foggy atmosphere. “What was that?!”

“Enough of a distraction for me,” Ebisu said. He leapt onto the blue dragon’s head, grasping the long horns protruding from it.

Tenzo stood a little away from his dragon, avoiding the flames that erupted unpredictably from her mouth. He rolled, dodged, and jumped away from the frequent fire bursts and tail swings. He couldn’t stay still long enough to concentrate and use his jutsu. The young ANBU scowled in frustration as he jumped out of the way of yet another jet of flame.

Tenzo stopped, an out-of-place sound startling him. It sounded like a waterfall. He turned and watched, slack-jawed, as a fifth dragon entered the enclosure. But this beast was made of water.

The water dragon was heading for the Horntail but suddenly swerved to intercept a jet of flame heading for Kurenai from Guy’s dragon. The steam that rose gave Guy the advantage he needed. He grasped the green dragon by the tail and gave a mighty tug. The Welsh Green stopped spouting fire and turned around in confusion. It attempted to sniff out the perpetrator near her tail but when her head came around Guy met it with a kick. The green dragon, stunned, retreated as far as it could go with its chains on and laid down submissively. 

The confusion of the steam didn’t distract the Hungarian dragon for long. It blew fire at the back of the water dragon which twisted around and met it head-on. By now Tenzo had gotten over his shock and all the extra water on the ground made it easier to do his jutsu. He put his hands together and large planks of wood shot out of the ground, encircling the Horntail like a set of ribs. Once they had the black dragon caged, the wood tightened to restrict the dragon until she could calm down.

Kurenai and Guy had never seen wood style jutsu used before and had actually stopped to watch. It came as a surprise to them when, a few moments after Tenzo had the black dragon pinned, Ebisu’s silver-blue dragon also met the ground with a thud.

Kakashi, busy with using his water technique, had lost track of what was going on with the new chunin. “Ebisu,” Kakashi cried, racing through the mist toward the most recent disturbance. Guy, Kurenai, and Tenzo also made their way toward the silver-blue dragon from their various positions within the paddock.

“What the-?” Kurenai began. She had been closest to Ebisu’s position and arrived first.

Kakashi came up beside her and stopped to stare. Tenzo and Guy also arrived and followed suit.

Ebisu was draped over the dragon’s head and was laughing. His hand appeared to be pinned behind a large scale on the dragon’s head and blood from a wound on his arm was drenching his shirtsleeve. Strangest of all was the silver-blue dragon itself. Her eyes were closed but she was growling, a deep continuous noise.

“Ebisu,” Kakashi said, approaching cautiously, one hand outstretched. Tenzo tensed, putting his hands together in case he needed to restrain the dragon’s head. In the position that she was in, the blue dragon could snap at Kakashi or toss her head casually, ripping Ebisu’s arm off. Ebisu’s laughter quieted and he turned to look at Kakashi. 

“’You have to stroke it’, I can’t believe that worked,” Ebisu panted. He was half talking to Kakashi, half to himself.

“What- what are you talking about?” Kakashi asked, bewildered. The way his teammate was acting, he was afraid Ebisu was not in his right mind.

“Hermione. Hermione was telling me about their Care of Magical Creatures project yesterday, Blast-ended Skrewts or something,” Ebisu explained. “Anyway, it led to her telling me about the books Hagrid assigned last year, The Monster Book of Monsters. They had to stroke the binding to get them to open.”

Kakashi remembered the books and how they had attacked each other if they were unclasped. He spoke slowly, “Ebisu, are you telling me that you…petted your dragon into submission?”

Ebisu nodded. “I’m starting to wonder if Hagrid’s right, that dragons are just misunderstood.” He made to move his pinned arm and winced. “Still dangerous though,” he gasped. Guy hurried forward to support Ebisu’s weight as Kurenai lifted the scale to release the chunin’s hand.

They eased him into a sitting position with his back propped against the dragon’s head. Tenzo relaxed a little, seeing how the Swedish dragon didn’t react to them, just kept on growling contentedly. 

Kurenai was wrapping Ebisu’s hand in a field dressing when Charlie and the other dragon handlers arrived.

Most of them had expressions varying from shocked to impressed. Charlie kept running his hand through his hair. “How did you even-?” he looked around. The Hungarian Horntail was bound in wood, patiently waiting to be let up. The Welsh Green had begun to relax and was curled up where Guy had left her. The Chinese Fireball was no longer spouting flames and was licking at the ninja wire. The red-headed wizard looked at the Swedish Short-Snout in front of him last. She was not even restrained, just growling happily to herself. “How did you do it? You moved so fast we could barely follow you. Then all that water! Where did that even come from?”

“The lake,” Kakashi deadpanned but Charlie wasn’t listening.

“It’s simply amazing. It would have taken us hours to calm this lot down,” Charlie exclaimed. “You aren’t even burned.”

“My hand hurts,” Ebisu volunteered.

The second-oldest Weasley son continued. “We wear fireproof robes,” he gestured at the shining robes Kakashi had noticed earlier, “but we still are usually singed a bit. Dumbledore said you were good, I just didn’t think you’d be this good. We can’t thank you enough.” The other handlers, also deeply impressed, nodded or muttered in agreement.

Politely Kakashi said, “we’re just glad we could help. However, this is keeping us from our evening duties so we’d better go.”

As the ninja returned to the castle, Kakashi said, “is everyone still okay for guard duty tonight?” Everyone chorused their agreement although Ebisu’s assent was quieter than normal. “That’s good to hear. Guy I believe we’re on to your duty already?”

Ebisu looked up sharply. Guy’s shift came after his. “I believe you’re right Kakashi,” Guy said, a grin on his face. “Don’t think I’ll let a little guard duty slow me down. You can count on me.”

Ebisu sighed in relief when he saw the clock in Leaf Tower. It was after eleven. His shift really was over and Kakashi hadn’t just been covering for him. The four ninja not on duty slid into bed and fell right asleep.


	14. Preparation

**Chapter 12: Preparation**

The next day at breakfast, Kurenai noticed Harry pull Cedric aside for a time. When they both returned to the Great Hall, Cedric’s face looked a little pale.

“Everything okay Cedric?” Kurenai asked.

“What? Oh yeah, fine, everything’s fine,” Cedric slid onto the bench, his eyebrows furrowed in concentration.

Kurenai couldn’t figure out what was bothering him until she spoke to Kakashi later.

“Harry knows about the dragons,” Kakashi stated.

Kurenai’s eyes widened. “How?” Then she said, realization dawning on her, “Cedric knows too.”

“How do you know?” Kakashi asked. At this point Guy and Ebisu had joined them. The students had all gone to class and the Great Hall was basically empty.

“Harry asked Cedric if he could have a word during breakfast. When they came back, Cedric looked a little shaken.”

“Cat’s out of the bag huh?” Ebisu said.

“It’s technically allowed,” Kakashi replied.

“What?!” Guy exclaimed. The other two ninja shared in his astonishment.

Kakashi told them about the conversation he’d had with Dumbledore.

“So that’s the way of it,” Guy said. “That is interesting.”

“Well we’re encouraged to cheat in the chunin exams,” Kakashi reasoned. “We really shouldn’t be surprised.”

“I’m not sure how we could help Harry or Cedric though,” Kurenai said. “We’re not wizards.”

“You four can help them if you want,” Kakashi said. “I think I’ll avoid it as much as possible.”

“But why?” Ebisu asked. “At least Cedric has a chance but Harry could use some support.”

“Our job is to protect them-” Kakashi began.

“How is this not protecting them?” Ebisu demanded.

Tenzo jumped down from the ceiling to join them. He said, “protecting them is our job but senpai is right. We can’t start living their lives for them, they’ll never grow.”

Ebisu snorted. “Sage advice from the eleven year-old.”

“Ebisu,” Guy warned.

“This eleven year-old could kill you Ebisu, so I’d watch it,” Kakashi said lightly.

“We measure the value of a person by their ability to kill another person? Is that what our society is?” Ebisu demanded.

“Well yeah,” Kakashi responded. Guy, Kurenai, and Tenzo shrugged and nodded.

“Oh,” Ebisu said, “right.” 

“Anyway,” Kakashi continued, “you all do what you think is right. I’ve got to get to Professor Moody’s class. I think he’s going to terrify some first years today.”

That night when Guy was on patrol, he heard some voices coming from down the hall. He followed the disturbance to a classroom and opened the door. Inside he was surprised to find Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

“Oh hi Guy,” Ron said, his voice cracking. “Um, we were just-”

Guy surveyed the room. Various objects were scattered around the floor: chairs, chalkboard erasers, quills, books, and Harry’s invisibility cloak.

“We were just practicing summoning charms,” Hermione said honestly.

Ron elbowed her in the back.

Hermione shot a glare at him, “there’s no point, he already knows that Harry knows about the dragons.”

At Ron’s confused look Hermione said, “Ebisu told me.”

Harry interjected, “how did Ebisu know?”

“Kakashi,” Guy said.

“Well how did Kakashi know we knew?” Harry demanded.

Guy looked at him, “do you really think those conversations you three have _in public_ go unnoticed? Besides, we already knew about the dragons.”

“What? How?” Ron asked.

“Who do you think subdued the dragons?” Guy blinded them with his grin. Ron’s eyes grew round.

Guy finished entering the room and shut the door. “Now what are you three trying to do here?” 

“I figured if I can summon my broomstick when I fight the dragon, I’d have half of a chance,” Harry explained.

“It was Ron’s idea,” Hermione beamed.

Ron looked embarrassed.

“But I’m having trouble focusing,” Harry said, gesturing at the room.

Guy hummed, stepping forward. He searched the room with his eyes and then his expression brightened. Guy walked over to stand next to Harry. “See that white spot on the stone over there?” He pointed.

Harry looked at the wall opposite him. He saw a tiny spot on the wall and assumed that that was the one Guy meant. “Yes.”

“Watch,” Guy instructed boisterously. The ninja withdrew a shuriken from his pouch. He faced the spot he’d indicated to Harry and suddenly threw the projectile. It landed right in the middle of the white spot.

“Whoa,” Ron said, staring at the point. Hermione’s eyes widened.

“Now how did I do that?” Guy asked, crossing his arms.

“Lots of practice,” Hermione said, eyes locked on the spot.

“That’s true but here’s a trick I used in practice and Harry, I think this might help you,” Guy said in full teaching mode. “I zero in on what I intend to hit and, while focused on it, throw. When you do this, nothing else matters, everything else is background noise compared to that one spot. So,” Guy picked up an eraser off of the ground and tossed it to Harry. He then strode over to the wall and removed his shuriken from the white spot. “Zero in on your target, and throw this eraser at that white spot.”

Harry faced the spot, focused just how Guy had described it to him, and threw the eraser at the wall. The white spot was more a solid crack now due to Guy’s shuriken. Still, the eraser sailed through the air and hit the indicated spot! Harry’s eyes widened and a smile broke out on his face.

“Good,” Guy said. “Now summon the eraser from the other side of the room using your spell. Zero in on it the way you did with that spot.”

Harry looked at the eraser doubtfully but he pulled his wand out of his pocket. He focused on it and said, “ _Accio Eraser_ ”. The eraser flew into the air toward Harry but in his surprise at it working so well, he lost focus and the eraser dropped two paces from him.

“Good, but you can’t be surprised when your spell works Harry,” Guy chuckled. “Try again, don’t lose focus until it’s within your grasp.”

Guy kicked the eraser to the other side of the room and stepped back.

“ _Accio Eraser,_ ” Harry said. This time he stayed focused until he could catch the flying eraser in his other hand.

“Very good Harry,” Guy said slapping him on the back. Harry gasped for air. “That’s what the persistence of youth gets you.” Guy started to leave but then turned, hand on the doorknob. “And I imagine the arena is going to be very distracting so Ron, Hermione, you should probably make him practice that while you two throw things at him.”

Harry groaned.

“Train on young Gryffindors!” Guy said and left.

The next morning the school buzzed with anticipation. Classes were cut short by mid-day so the students could go down to see the champions compete in the first task.

Harry couldn’t get much down at breakfast. Ron and Hermione flanked him at the Gryffindor table, doing their best to block the hisses and glares people sent his way. It got better as the meal went on and Harry didn’t notice until he stood up that a group of Hufflepuffs had strategically placed themselves behind him. They seemed to be just talking, discussing the coming task and the classes they would miss. However, Hannah Abbott, who was a part of the group, smiled at Harry and gave him a thumbs up as the group dissolved.

“What was that about?” Ron asked, confused.

“Somebody had to keep guard from the back,” Kakashi said, appearing out of nowhere. “They make my job too easy really.”

Harry stared slack-jawed at the Hufflepuffs as they walked away. “Why would they do that?” Harry asked.

“Maybe it’s about time Hogwarts united,” Kakashi said. “The creators of your houses managed it but all of you,” he looked at the four long tables, “tend to mess it up every time. Especially Gryffindor.”

“What do you mean?” Ron cried indignantly.

Kakashi turned a looked at him, “Gryffindors can’t even unite inside their own house much less with the others. The only thing you all agree on is winning.”

Harry opened his mouth and then closed it again. Kakashi was right, the only time Gryffindor House agreed on anything was if the House Cup or the Quidditch Cup was at stake. Whenever he lost at quidditch, he was suddenly very unpopular in his own house.

“By now, Cedric has convinced all of the Hufflepuffs that you didn’t enter the tournament and they’ve agreed to back you, even though you are stealing the spotlight for their own champion. Ravenclaws can usually use logic to come to an agreement pretty quickly. The Slytherins are best of all at staying together since the rest of the school seems to hate them for some reason. They wouldn’t survive if they had any in-fighting.

“I’m just saying,” Kakashi finished, “maybe it’s about time Hogwarts united. You’d be a lot stronger that way.” The guard walked away.


	15. The First Task

**Chapter 13: The First Task**

“Potter,” Professor McGonagall said, hurrying up to him during lunch. “The champions have to get down to the grounds and prepare for their first task.”

“Good luck,” Hermione said.

Ron tried to tell a joke but he choked on it and smiled instead.

“Kakashi?” McGonagall called and looked around as she walked.

“Right behind you,” the jonin replied. He was indeed directly behind her and Harry, matching their hurried pace. His hands were in his pockets. His unconcerned look was in stark contrast to Minerva and Harry’s faces.

“Oh there you are,” the witch said hurriedly. She seemed to be on pins and needles. “Would you follow us down to the grounds? I think Dumbledore has some last minute instructions for your team.”

Kakashi hastily made a clone to keep the Gryffindors in line and followed McGonagall and Harry out.

“Double the goodness,” a Beauxbatons student said. She eyed the second Kakashi.

Ebisu choked on his oatmeal, coughing for several moments into his napkin. A couple of Ravenclaws looked over at him, concerned. A sixth year student got up and went over to the guard, putting a hand on Ebisu’s shoulder. The ninja waved him off, attempting to smile reassuringly through his coughs. When he could finally breathe again he stared at the girl, flabbergasted. _Did she just say that out loud?_

“I wonder how he did that,” a Beauxbatons boy said, rolling his eyes at his classmate’s foolishness.

Ebisu leaned over to the Ravenclaw girl next to him, “Luna?” The blonde turned to him. “Can you hear what they’re saying?” He nodded at the Beauxbatons students.

“I can hear it but I can’t understand it,” Luna said cryptically.

Ebisu stared at her and then a light bulb turned on in his head. He looked at the Beauxbatons students and back at Luna. “Luna, are they speaking a different language than you? One from their own country?” 

Luna nodded, “I assume so but I don’t speak French so how would I know?”

_Well this is interesting,_ Ebisu thought.

Down on the grounds, McGonagall grew more and more agitated.

“Now don’t panic Potter. We have wizards standing by to help if the situation gets out of hand. Just do your best. Are you alright?”

“Yes Professor,” Harry said. Her anxiety was making him more and more uneasy.

There was a large tent set up next to the forbidden forest. Kakashi noted that it was near where the dragons had been corralled the other night.

“You’ll be in there Potter, with the other champions. Do what Mr. Bagman tells you. He’ll be explaining the…procedures.” Professor McGonagall tried to smile at Harry but it appeared that her face was broken. She turned to the ninja, “Kakashi come with me.”

The Transfiguration instructor led Kakashi to another tent further into the forest. Dumbledore was waiting for them.

“Harry and Cedric are in the tent?” He asked. McGonagall nodded. “Good. Kakashi, your team should stay out of the way as much as possible. I want at least one of you in the tent with the champions. You can guard them against anyone harassing them and maybe calm them down a bit. I imagine they’re all frightened by the idea of facing a dragon.” Dumbledore’s eyes twinkled.

Kakashi wondered if the headmaster was a little crazy.

“Anyway,” Dumbledore continued, “Charlie Weasley tells me that your team subdued the dragons faster than even they could have and without wands too. So we’d like the rest of your team on standby but for emergencies only. The dragon handlers should be able to manage everything themselves.”

Kakashi nodded. 

“Last but not least, keep an eye out for Rita Skeeter,” Dumbledore advised. “She seems to be making you a special project. She asked me twice already where you were and what’s worse is that now I do not know where she is.”

“I see,” Kakashi said. “Perhaps I should disguise myself then?” He put his hands together and transformed into the image of a fourth year Hogwarts student, complete with acne. The brown-haired boy grinned up at Dumbledore.

Dumbledore shook his head, trying not to smile. “No, I think she might be even more suspicious if she doesn’t see you anywhere at all. Let her see you but don’t let her get close enough to talk to you.”

There was a poof of smoke and Kakashi was back, silver-haired and serious. “I think I can handle that.”

“Good,” Dumbledore said. “I’d better join the other judges. The students will be here any minute.”

The three of them left the tent. Kakashi released his clone up at the castle, signaling his team to come down to the grounds. Kakashi then walked over to the champion’s tent to keep an eye on things until his team arrived.

Cedric and Harry sat together, speaking quietly. Fleur was sitting in a corner looking pale. Viktor looked even more grumpy than usual. Ludo Bagman stood amongst them, bouncing on the balls of his feet. He was wearing bright yellow robes, the significance of which escaped Kakashi.

Soon there was the unmistakable sound of footsteps and laughter, a large crowd of people passed by the tent. Kakashi stepped out and saw his team minus one. He assumed Tenzo was already stationed in the trees.

Kakashi pulled Ebisu, Kurenai, and Guy to the side and explained Dumbledore’s instructions. After he had finished he said, “anything happen besides what my clone saw?”

Ebisu cleared his throat. “There’s something you need to know.”

His three teammates turned to him. Ebisu swallowed. “The Beauxbatons students frequently speak in French to hide their comments from the Hogwarts students and I assume, us. I hadn’t noticed before now but this morning one of the girls said something that…she would have never said if she knew we could hear her,” Ebisu finished lamely. He was beginning to sweat. 

“What did she say?” Guy asked openly.

Ebisu stiffened and looked at Kakashi, who was watching him expectantly. “Uh-”

Kakashi’s eyes narrowed, “what was it?”

“Were they threatening the students?” Kurenai asked.

“No,” Ebisu said quickly. He was staring at his hands, trying to think a way out of the corner he’d backed himself into. “It was…ah…personal.”

“I see,” Kakashi said thoughtfully.

A wave of relief swept through Ebisu when his captain didn’t question it any further than that.

“We’ll have to be careful to not react to anything they say unless we’re sure they spoke in English,” Kakashi advised. 

“How can we be sure?” Kurenai asked. “It all sounds the same to us.”

“If a Hogwarts student seems confused, we should act just as confused,” Kakashi said. “Chances are we won’t hear anything concerning us but you never know. The advantage could prove to be useful.”

Guy, Ebisu, and Kurenai nodded.

“Guy, I want you in with the champions. Make sure nobody is in that tent who isn’t supposed to be. They don’t need to be any more stressed than they already are. Ebisu, Kurenai, and I will be with the dragon handlers. We’re to assist in an emergency situation only. Everyone clear?”

“Yes,” they chorused. Guy hurried off to the champion tent while everyone else went down to the arena.

Guy approached the tent just as a whistle blew. Mr. Bagman ran off leaving Harry just in front of the tent doorway. “Everything okay Harry?” Guy asked, flashing a smile.

Harry didn’t answer as Guy swept him toward the tent.

They passed Cedric who was leaving the tent as they went in. “Good luck Cedric,” Guy said brightly. The Hufflepuff seventh year looked a little green.

Guy followed Harry into the tent and leaned up against a tent pole. “How’s everyone feeling?”

Fleur stared at Guy like he was crazy. Viktor ignored him. He was glaring at the ground. Harry gave him a weak smile and looked back down at his hands. They heard the crowd roar so they knew Cedric was now in the arena with his Swedish Short-Snout.

The waiting for the champions was horrible. Fleur had begun to pace around and around the tent. Guy, however, was having a wonderful time. Bagman’s commentary seemed exciting. “Just missed being singed there.” “Brilliant move, pity it didn’t work!” “So close, better luck next time.” “Ohh!” Between that and the roar of the crowd, Guy painted a daring and incredible picture in his own mind of what was happening.

After about fifteen minutes the crowd gave a mighty roar. Guy and the champions assumed correctly, Cedric had gotten his golden egg.

“And now from the judges?” Bagman continued with his commentary. “One down three to go. Miss Delacour, if you please?”

The whistle blew again and Fleur marched out of the tent, muttering something. Her whole body was trembling but she clutched her wand tightly and held her head high. Guy said some encouraging words to her but Harry didn’t think she’d heard.

It started again. Bagman’s commentary, the crowd’s cheers and jeers, Harry could hardly stand it. He and Viktor avoided each other’s gaze. Ten minutes later, as it had been for Cedric, the crowd roared and Fleur received her scores.

“And here comes Mr. Krum,” Bagman shouted. The whistle sounded and Viktor got up. He nodded at Guy, acknowledging his encouraging words, as he exited the tent.

Harry could hear his own heartbeat, his breathing sounded hollow in his ears. When Guy spoke Harry nearly jumped out of his seat.

“There’s no reason to be nervous Harry. We won’t let you perish in any of these tasks,” Guy smiled and gave him a thumbs up.

Harry looked at him. Thinking about it that way, Harry realized that he was mostly worried about making a fool of himself, which was ridiculous in the long run. Guy was concerned that Harry was worried about _dying_. The thought strangely centered Harry and reset his priorities. _I’m not going to die. I may get embarrassed but it won’t last._ Harry suddenly felt lighter. The crowd roared and Krum’s scores were received by applause. Harry stood, feeling better than he had in weeks. He was still nervous of course, he was facing a dragon after all, but he knew that he just had to take it one task at a time. The first task was here and there was nothing he could do about it but face it.

“Thank you Guy,” Harry said.

“Any time,” Guy responded. “Now go out there and do your best!”

The whistle blew and Guy followed Harry out of the tent. As Harry approached the gap in the trees that would lead to the dragon enclosure Guy said, “remember, focus.”

Harry nodded and entered the arena.

As Harry spoke the charm to summon his broomstick, Guy walked beneath the stands to join Kakashi.

“Everything okay here so far?” Guy asked.

Kakashi nodded, “and you?”

“Good to go,” Guy replied. Harry’s Firebolt had arrived. “How did the other champions do?”

“Clumsy but they got the job done,” Kakashi answered. “I can’t imagine what it would have been like if they hadn’t been prepared. Each of them only seemed to scrape by because they had a certain plan in mind.” 

Guy nodded. “Maybe there’s a reason for this rule that isn’t a rule.”

“What do you mean?” Kakashi asked. Harry dove and evaded a plume of fire by inches.

“Well this way, they can hype up the winner more. If they never asked for help, well, that’s a credit to the champion isn’t it?” Guy watched Harry circle above the dragon, attempting to make it dizzy. Then Harry dove again.

Guy grasped the scaffolding but Kakashi appeared to watch passively. The Horntail’s tail, true to its name, had caught Harry in the shoulder. “He’s bleeding,” Guy said grimly, his grip on the wood tightening.

Kakashi replied smoothly, “the other champions got hurt too. Look at Charlie’s team, they haven’t even moved. He’s fine.”

They watched as Harry flew back and forth, tempting the dragon to leave her eggs. “You’re right, this is worse than the Quidditch Final.”

“And this is only the first task,” Kakashi responded blandly.

“There she goes,” Guy said as the dragon finally shifted off of her eggs. “Now or never.”

They both watched as Harry swooped in and grabbed the fake egg among the clutch. The crowd roared but Kakashi wasn’t paying attention. “And there goes Charlie’s team,” Kakashi said as the dragon handlers rushed out to subdue the Horntail. “Well that went smoother than I expected. We didn’t have to intervene once.”

But Guy wasn’t listening, he was cheering for Harry along with the rest of the crowd. Kakashi smiled under his mask and clapped politely.

“Come on,” Kakashi said. “Kurenai’s already in the first aid tent. Ebisu and Tenzo are keeping an eye on the crowd.”

In the first aid tent, Madam Pomfrey was muttering about dementors and dragons as she cleaned Harry’s shoulder. Kurenai stood in the corner, keeping an eye on everything.

“Is that Harry? Is he okay?” Cedric called from the other side of a canvas curtain.

“He’s fine,” Kakashi said. “He has a laceration on his shoulder.”

Harry smiled a ‘thank you’ at Kakashi as Madam Pomfrey barked at him to sit still a minute. As soon as she went on the other side of the curtain to check on Cedric’s burn, Harry was standing up. Kakashi just as quickly pushed him back down.

“I believe the witch told you to sit,” Kakashi said neutrally.

Harry couldn’t tell if the guard was being serious or not. He decided it was safer to sit. It didn’t matter anyway because Ron and Hermione burst in just then. After some hugs and congratulations Ron said, “come on Harry, they’re putting up your scores!”

Harry looked at Kakashi quizzically. Kakashi suddenly found the roof of the tent very interesting and Harry jumped off of the cot as if he was on a spring. The young wizard grabbed his Firebolt and golden egg and ran outside to see his scores. 

Soon Cedric was summoned from the first aid tent and the guards followed him out. Mr. Bagman was explaining the next part of the tournament.

“Alright there Harry?” Cedric asked him when he arrived. The seventh year had an orange paste covering half of his face.

“Yeah, you?”

Cedric shrugged, “got a little burned.”

“Well done, all of you,” Ludo Bagman said, practically bursting with joy. He went on to explain what the golden eggs were for and that the second task would be February 24th at half past nine in the morning.

“That’s rather specific,” Kurenai whispered to Ebisu.

Kakashi stood listening silently, taking the information in as if he were a champion himself. _That’s a pretty long break,_ he thought.

“Everyone clear? Well off you go then!” Bagman said and everyone dispersed.


	16. Dance Drama

**Chapter 14: Dance Drama**

December brought a chill to the Hogwarts grounds. But even the freezing rain couldn’t dampen Guy’s spirits.

“Kakashi, I challenge you to a footrace around the lake!” Guy said one morning as Kakashi entered Leaf Tower. The jonin had just gotten off of his leg of guard duty and he raised an eyebrow at Guy.

“And what brought this on?” Kakashi asked, eyeing Ebisu suspiciously. The new chunin was known to stir Guy up on purpose as a roundabout way to irritate the captain.

“Just the endurance of youth needing to be pressed to new limits!” Guy proclaimed.

Kakashi shrugged, “we can probably squeeze it in before breakfast.”

Guy whooped and grabbed his cloak, heading for the door. Kakashi dug out his own cloak, threw it around his shoulders, and followed him out.

Kurenai shook her head at them. Tenzo seemed confused, “why does Kakashi go along with Guy’s ridiculous challenges? He could easily say ‘no’.”

“You’re right,” Kurenai said, brushing her hair. “He could say ‘no’ and frankly he used to, every time.” The kunoichi paused, remembering those times with a frown. “Guy is persistent though, and it’s that persistence that eventually made them friends. Kakashi isn’t easy to befriend.”

Tenzo looked over at Ebisu who was nodding from his bed. He added, “but he’s a surprisingly loyal friend once you have him.”

Tenzo thought, _it’s not all that surprising._

Kakashi and Guy were only a little late for breakfast. They both walked into the Great Hall with their cloaks slung over their shoulders. Based on the looks of the Durmstrang students, Kurenai guessed that their little footrace had had an audience. 

“Just know that your lead is only temporary Kakashi, I shall be victorious next time,” Guy said before they separated.

As the jonin walked past the Ravenclaw table there could be heard a collective, longing sigh. Ebisu banged his head into the table. He was always embarrassed for these students and it was worse this year due to the addition of the Beauxbatons witches. Watching them fall all over themselves around his captain was painful. Kakashi didn’t notice their antics, not because they were being subtle, but because such attention directed at himself was completely off of Kakashi’s radar. Ebisu just closed his eyes and waited for the morning swoon to be over.

Later that afternoon, the Gryffindor and Slytherin fourth years were dealing with the Blast-Ended Skrewts once more. This did not concern the ninja however, until Ebisu came running around the corner to locate his teammates. Kurenai and Kakashi had just been heading to an abandoned classroom for some genjutsu training.

“We need to go help the Care of Magical Creatures class,” Ebisu burst out.

“Are they still learning about those Blast-Ended things?” Kurenai asked wearily.

At Ebisu’s nod Kakashi said, “I thought we’d decided that that fell under ‘usual Hogwarts hazards’ and we weren’t going to interfere?”

“Rita Skeeter’s down there,” Ebisu said, frustrated.

“You maybe should have led with that,” Kakashi said, striding to the nearest staircase. “Why didn’t you make her leave?”

“I have my hands full getting the Skrewts away from the students. Just get down here please.” Ebisu’s clone disappeared in an aggravated poof.

“Aren’t we supposed to stay away from Ms. Skeeter?” Kurenai asked as she ran at Kakashi’s side.

“Yes,” Kakashi said. “But she’s also not supposed to be on the grounds between tournament events. Besides, I can only image what she’ll write about Hagrid’s teaching.”

“Hagrid really isn’t a good teacher,” Kurenai commented as they exited the Entrance Hall. “I mean, he’s a nice person, but he doesn’t know anything about these creatures and he just set them on the fourth years.”

“The fourth years are lucky,” Kakashi responded. “Did you see what the seventh years have?”

Kurenai shuddered, “don’t remind me.”

By the time they reached Hagrid’s hut, Ebisu had isolated the Skrewts in a stone enclosure on the far side of Hagrid’s home. Meanwhile, Rita was left questioning Hagrid.

“Where exactly did these creatures come from? Do you know anything about them at all?” Rita pressed. Hagrid shuffled from foot to foot. The Slytherins were emerging from Hagrid’s hut now that the Skrewts were neutralized.

Malfoy opened his mouth to say something to the reporter when Kakashi cut in. “Ms. Skeeter, I believe you’re aware that you’re not permitted on the grounds between tournament events. What are you doing here?”

The magenta-robbed witch turned at his voice. “Ah, Kakashi,” she said, her eyes narrowing despite her friendly tone, “you’re just everywhere aren’t you?”

“You didn’t answer my question,” Kakashi said, his dark eye meeting hers.

“How do you do it?” The reporter continued.

“I’m going to have to ask you to leave,” the jonin responded, his tone made him sound bored.

“Who is this?” Rita asked. She looked Kurenai over from her ruby eyes to her matching dress. She ignored Kakashi’s request.

“Kurenai,” Kakashi said, but he wasn’t answering Rita’s question.

The kunoichi put her hands together in a few quick signs and threw out her genjutsu. Suddenly Rita Skeeter got a very blank look on her face. Kakashi strode forward, grasped the reporter by the elbow, and walked her to the grounds entrance. Kurenai followed behind them.

“What just happened?” Draco asked. Crabbe and Goyle shrugged.

Hagrid coughed. “Right, er, class dismissed.”

As Harry, Ron, and Hermione made their way back up to the castle Ron said, “seriously though, Malfoy had a point. How did they just make Rita Skeeter leave like that?”

Hermione shuddered, “I don’t care how they got rid of her, just that they did. Have you seen the things she’s written about Dumbledore?”

The wizards looked at her blankly.

Hermione shook her head, “never mind.”

As December moved on, yet another task had been dropped at Harry Potter’s feet. Harry rushed out of the Transfiguration classroom, looking around fervently. Eventually he found the guard he was looking for.

“Kakashi, I need your help,” Harry shouted while running down the hall. The jonin had just returned from his daily run with Guy. Guy was outside doing one thousand squats after losing to Kakashi in a foot race the captain didn’t know they’d been having.

The guard stopped and stared at Harry. Then he sighed, “Harry, I thought this was clear, you can’t ask me for help.”

Harry looked blankly at him. “Oh, no, not the task,” he said quickly when he realized what Kakashi had been implying. “No, I need to get a date to the ball.”

Kakashi snorted, pulling his winter uniform cloak off. “Is that all?”

“Is that all?! I can’t even dance! I-”

Kakashi interrupted him, holding a hand up. “Calm down or you’ll make a scene. You’re supposed to be representing Hogwarts, act like it.” He looked around. “Let’s take a walk.”

Properly chastised, Harry followed Kakashi’s lead and they began to walk outside again to the greenhouses. Kakashi donned his cloak once more.

“Now what is all this about?” Kakashi asked seriously. _There has to be something more to it, Harry wouldn’t panic about a simple dance._

“Professor McGonagall just told me. It’s tradition that the champions and their partners open the Yule Ball. I can’t dance! I also haven’t got a chance at getting a date-”

“Okay, slow down. This isn’t really as bad as you’re making it. Dancing you can get lessons for. As far as a partner, you can’t think of any witches who’d want to go to the Yule Ball with a Champion?” Kakashi raised his visible eyebrow at him.

Harry pondered this. “I don’t want them to go with me just because I’m a Champion. But there is this one girl I like…” Harry trailed off.

“That’s a good start.” Kakashi encouraged but Harry offered no other information. The ninja sighed. “Harry, do you want to go to the ball with that girl?”

Harry nodded, staring at the floor.

“Then why are you moping around about it?” Harry looked up when Kakashi said this. “Are you ever going to get another chance at this?”

“No,” Harry muttered.

“Then don’t waste your chance. Even if she says no, you’ll at least know the answer instead of wondering for the rest of your days what could have happened.” _Or until you’re over her,_ the jonin added mentally.

“You’re right,” Harry said, a small smile on his face.

“Now go talk to her, before I sic Guy on you,” Kakashi said, an evil glint in his eye.

Harry went very pale and hurried back to the castle. Suddenly he stopped and looked back, “how am I supposed to get her alone to ask her?”

Kakashi shrugged, “use your imagination…Or…”

Harry had turned to continue up to the entrance, his robes billowing behind him when Kakashi’s “or” stopped him. “Or?” Harry said, turning.

“Well, it’s just that each of my team has been shadowing one house. Whichever house this girl is in, that guard may have a few ideas.” Kakashi was smirking behind his mask as he watched Harry’s face light up.

The wizard dashed away without another word.

Later that day, much to his surprise, Kakashi was summoned to Dumbledore’s office. The ninja entered the odd space with its whirling objects, paintings, and bowl full of candy.

“You asked to see me headmaster?” Kakashi began.

Dumbledore smiled at him. “Yes, I thought that with the Yule Ball coming up we should speak about something.”

Kakashi nodded for him to continue, still standing at attention.

“I was just going to inform you that your team may attend the Yule Ball as guests if a student invites any of you to be their partner.”

Kakashi was a bit taken aback. He tried to keep the surprise off of his face and his voice neutral when he said, “don’t you think that’d be a little inappropriate sir?”

Dumbledore spread his hands. “Not at all. What better way to keep an eye on things than in the thick of it?”

“Because when you’re that close to something you can miss things.”

“The same way you can miss things if you distance yourself too much?” Dumbledore’s blue eyes sparkled. “I won’t tell you how to run your team but you have my permission to attend the ball as guests. Everyone needs to let their hair down sometime.”

_That’s debatable,_ Kakashi thought as he left the headmaster’s office.

Despite Harry’s conversation with Ebisu, the ninja had suggested that Harry and Cho study together and get to talking that way, the wizard was still dragging his feet.

“What’s he waiting for?” Kurenai exclaimed in Leaf Tower one night.

She and Guy had been keeping close tabs on all the Yule Ball gossip. When Ebisu asked them why, Kurenai said it was interesting how all of the usual school drama got heightened to a fever pitch when a dance was involved. When Guy started talking about the ball being the symbol of the flower of youth, Ebisu stopped him with a hand up.

“That’s alright Guy, I think I get it,” Ebisu said sheepishly.

“I don’t know,” Guy said returning to their original thread. “There were several girls who asked _him_ to the ball over these past few days but he turned them all down.”

“If his object is to ask Cho, he’s failing utterly in that. If the object is to simply get a date, well, he’s failing in that also,” Ebisu said. He slammed the book shut that he’d been attempting to read. “Great, now _I’m_ wondering what the heck he’s waiting for!” Ebisu checked the time. “I’m going on patrol early.” He slammed the door shut behind him.

“I still don’t see what all the fuss is about,” Tenzo asked. “Why can’t Harry just go with his friend?”

“Hermione? She already has a date,” Guy said matter-of-factly. 

“With who? Ron?” Kurenai asked, surprised that Guy hadn’t shared this information before.

Guy shrugged, “I just heard that she turned Neville down because she was already going with someone.”

“It’s not Ron,” Kakashi’s muffled voice said. The three ninja stared at him. They’d honestly thought he’d gone to sleep with his book over his face. The captain of the guard detail sat up, grasping his book. “Didn’t you two hear that Ron asked Fleur?” Kakashi offered his share of gossip. 

Guy and Kurenai’s eyes became the size of saucers. “You’re kidding!” Kurenai exclaimed.

Kakashi sighed. “Unfortunately no. Fleur was talking to me today, something about the weather. Ron just strolled right up and asked her.”

Guy’s eyes remained wide. Kurenai looked thoughtful however, “why was she talking to you about the weather?”

Kakashi shrugged in response. “Anyway, Ron ran off before she responded. I think she was stunned into silence.”

“Kakashi,” Kurenai began. “Ebisu and Hermione are such good friends. I mean, he didn’t-”

“No,” the silver-haired ninja said flatly. The conversation he’d just had with Dumbledore was still fresh in his ears. “Dumbledore is allowing us to go to the dance _with_ a student partner if they ask but I’d rather you didn’t. It’d be completely inappropriate to go to a dance with one of the group we’ve been hired to protect.”

“But why not Kakashi? It’s not any different than us going to Hogsmeade with the students,” Guy protested suddenly.

“We’re there to protect them,” Kakashi replied flatly.

“But we’re also having fun,” Kurenai pointed out. “We got butterbeers with the students and ate Honeydukes sweets with the students.” Guy held his stomach in remembrance.

“Were either of you also dating one of the students?” Kakashi asked, cutting her off.

“Ebisu almost did,” Kurenai muttered.

“But he isn’t, otherwise he wouldn’t be on this mission,” Kakashi said icily. “Let me remind you again that we’re here because we’re being _paid to be here._ Do any of you still think it might be okay if we showed up at the dance with dates?”

“I think what we’ve done here and the friends that we’ve made has already gone outside of the parameters of a regular mission _captain_ ,” Guy retorted, his anger rising. “Not everything in life is about the mission.” Guy was standing now, blazing eyes locked on Kakashi’s.

Kurenai stood as well, slightly confused by his harsh reaction. “Guy.”

“Did you think we could spend over a year with these students and not befriend any of them?” Guy was nearly shouting now. “Do you feel nothing?”

Tenzo realized that Guy was pressing Kakashi on purpose. He stood too, wanting to get in between the two for some reason. It could have been the anger rolling off of Kakashi, it was unclear to him though.

Realization seemed to hit Kakashi like a blow. Then the anger returned tenfold. “Who is it Guy?” Kakashi growled.

Tenzo was a few seconds behind Kurenai in realizing what Kakashi was getting at. “I already told her I’d go,” Guy replied, his voice hard. “I won’t go back on my word. She’s a good friend and it would be ungentlemanly of me.”

“You-” Kakashi began.

“Enough,” Kurenai yelled. “Kakashi, outside with me, now. Tenzo, you keep Guy here by any means necessary.”

Tenzo was so shocked that the only thing he could spit out was, “but Guy has patrol duty at eleven.”

Kurenai’s red eyes met Kakashi’s cold one. “This won’t take that long.”

Kakashi grudgingly followed Kurenai out the door, through the halls, and out of the castle. When his head had started to cool, he realized how furious Kurenai was. She was blazing a trail to the most secluded part of the grounds, away from the forest, greenhouses, lake, everything.

Suddenly she rounded on him. “What happened?” She demanded.

Kakashi’s face was like stone.

“I’ve always thought you were fairly reasonable Kakashi, despite your eccentricities. But this came out of nowhere. I admit, Cedric asked me to the dance but I turned him down for personal reasons. I didn’t think you’d actually bar us from going to the ball with dates!”

Kakashi’s mask of stone cracked a little, “they shouldn’t be thinking of us that way, ever.” 

“If it doesn’t affect our job, what does it matter?”

“It matters because it _will_ affect our mission. How could it not? We’re not some students happily going to school; we’re ninja, we’re guards. We are here to protect them, not go to parties and make nice. I let Ebisu go too far last year. I never thought we’d be returning so I let it slide. That was my mistake. I don’t intend to let it go any further.”

“I seem to remember you doing more than letting it slide, you pushed it along a little.”

Kakashi glared up at the castle. After a few moments he said, “I’ve killed people Kurenai.”

Silence reigned for a time. Then she replied softly, “we all have.” _Getting to the heart of what’s bothering Kakashi is like taking five detours without a map,_ Kurenai thought.

“But they,” Kakashi pointed up at the castle, “don’t know that. They seem to think we’re like them somehow.”

“I think the students are all too aware that we’re not like them,” Kurenai said. She was remembering how the third year Gryffindors from last year had looked at the jonin after seeing his boggart.

“Not all of them are,” Kakashi barely whispered.

Kurenai’s jaw dropped as she realized where this was going. She quickly recovered and asked again, “what happened?”

Kakashi ran a hand through his hair and looked up at the stars. “Fleur wasn’t asking me about the weather,” was all he said.

The kunoichi’s mouth made a small “o”. “Fleur asked you to the dance?”

Kakashi nodded, staring at the ground now. “I thought she was going to ask me for directions again. She always seemed to be lost…oh.”

Kurenai half-squinted at him. _Sometimes, prodigies could be the most thick of all people._ “And you said no because you thought it’d be wrong to take one of our charges to the dance?”

“Correction: I don’t think, I know. And, just no. Fleur needs to grow up before she’d even understand what she’d been asking me to do.”

“She’s older than you,” Kurenai pointed out, a smile on her lips. It wasn’t often she got to see Kakashi embarrassed _and_ exasperated. “And also, it’s not like we weren’t going to be there anyway.”

“It’s not that we’d be there, it’s the role we’re filling when we attend the event. It would be wrong to act as both a guard and date. We’d end up not doing either responsibility justice,” the captain concluded.

“Then we just won’t all be there as guards. Guy can go as a guest and you, me, and Ebisu will be there as official guards.’

Kakashi shook his head. “If Guy gets to take his Slytherin, I assume she’s in Slytherin?” Kurenai nodded. “Then Fleur will wonder why I couldn’t take her. Ebisu would want to take Hermione-”

“Fleur will understand the way Cedric did. And Hermione has a date already,” Kurenai reminded him gently.

Kakashi rubbed his eyes, “I hate Hogwarts.”

Kurenai grabbed his arm and pulled him toward the warm castle in the distance. “No you don’t. You’ve just had a long day and found out that your friend has a date that you knew nothing about. You also overreacted when Guy overreacted.” 

“Anything else I’ve been missing?” Kakashi asked sulkily. “Does Tenzo have a fan club that I need to know about?”

“Well, you don’t _need_ to know,” Kurenai laughed at Kakashi’s face. “Are you alright? It’s usually impossible for me to tease you like that.”

“I haven’t been sleeping well,” Kakashi said shortly. He was starting to realize how much he’d revealed to the kunoichi. 

Kurenai frowned. _Nightmares again?_ Out loud she said, “don’t worry. We know you aren’t the emotionless scarecrow you pretend to be.”

Kakashi said nothing, striding noiselessly ahead of her back to the castle.


	17. Christmas Day

**Chapter 15: Christmas Day**

After the regular term at Hogwarts ended, the ninja had a surprisingly large amount of students to still look after for the break. Most were staying to attend the Yule Ball, others, they could only assume, were remaining to stay focused on their studies.

“I’d be staying even if I wasn’t going to the ball,” Kakashi heard Hermione tell Ebisu one morning at breakfast. “There’s just so much to do with our O.W.L.S. coming up next year.”

“Who _are_ you going to the ball with?” Ron asked. He and Harry were a few seats down and had been eavesdropping.

Hermione sniffed and ignored them. She bit into a piece of toast a little too harshly. After swallowing, Hermione made a snappy retort. But Kakashi wasn’t listening anymore.

From across the hall, the captain saw Guy hurrying over. The green-clad man picked Kurenai up in his wake, making a beeline for Kakashi. Kakashi tensed, waiting for bad news. Guy and Kurenai waited and then watched Hermione and Ebisu, then Harry and Ron leave the Great Hall.

Kakashi stepped off to the side so that they could have a private conversation. “It’s Krum, Viktor Krum,” Guy said. Kakashi didn’t see his teammate’s grin, he was scanning the hall. 

Kakashi looked quickly at the Slytherin table to see the youth in question also getting up from his table. “Viktor did something or Viktor needs help?” 

Kurenai smacked Kakashi’s shoulder with the back of her hand. “Viktor is the one who asked Hermione to the ball.”

“Oh,” Kakashi said, relaxing. He followed Krum out of the Great Hall with his eyes, the implications of the wizard’s hasty exit sinking in. Hermione and Ebisu had just left. _Interesting._

Kurenai and Guy watched the quidditch player as well. “Is this what the youth call a ‘love triangle’?” Guy asked. 

“Sort of,” Kurenai said. “But there are four people involved: Hermione, Viktor, Ron, and indirectly Ebisu. It’s more like a rhombus of terror.”

“Parabola of mystery?” Guy offered.

_Try: circle of confusion,_ Kakashi thought.

As the next few days zoomed by, Team Hogwarts watched the “circle of confusion” in fascination. Ebisu and Hermione went to the library as usual but now they noticed that Krum was also in the library, watching the pair. Then at mealtimes, Ron would randomly ask Hermione who was taking her to the ball.

“I’m not telling you Ron,” the witch would respond. “You’ll only laugh at me.”

Ron looked over at the Ravenclaw table and glared. Harry had secured dates for Ron and himself in the form of Parvati and Padma Patil days before. However, the more Hermione refused to comment on the matter the more Ron became suspicious of Ebisu.

“Why are they always hanging out in the library together anyway?” Ron asked Harry one day just as Hermione left the common room.

“Who?” Harry said. His face was concealed behind Flying with the Cannons.

“Ebisu and Hermione,” Ron exclaimed as if it were obvious. “They’re always together. I bet he asked her to the ball.”

Harry frowned, putting his book down. “Can’t be. Kakashi and I were talking about it during my dance lessons. His team can’t ask anyone to the dance. It’d be like Dudley asking Millicent to the Yule Ball. He wasn’t invited in the first place so he can’t ask someone else to go with him. And Hermione specifically said someone had asked her.”

“But I thought Kakashi also said that Guy was going with Millicent Bulstrode from Slytherin,” Ron protested.

“She asked him though.”

“Oh.” Ron flopped back into his armchair. “Good thing Christmas Day is only a few days away. I don’t think I can take much more of this.”

Harry nodded, returning to his book.

Ron suddenly sat up, “what was that about you taking dance lessons?”

Christmas Day did arrive sooner than anyone had suspected. Kakashi came back from his night patrol to find presents at the ends of the guards’ beds in Leaf Tower. Inspecting his own meager pile, there was another fruit cake from Mrs. Weasley, a book from Harry, Ron, and Hermione about dragon taming, and some sweets from Sirius. He cracked a smile under his mask. Then he frowned suddenly and stepped over to Tenzo’s bed. He let loose a sigh of relief when he saw that the young ANBU had not been left out. Two parcels decorated the foot of his bed. As opposed to the other guards’ gifts though, Tenzo’s fruitcake had not been wrapped by Mrs. Weasley.

_Those House-elves don’t miss a thing,_ the jonin thought. With a smile he returned to the other side of the room and sat on his bed. “Morning,” he said, no longer hiding his presence.

Guy was the first up, digging into his tiny pile of small packages. It seemed almost every Slytherin had given him one chocolate frog. The way Guy went on about them, it was clear that the frogs had some special meaning.

Kurenai and Ebisu had some sweets in addition to Mrs. Weasley’s cake that they were examining. Then Tenzo spoke up, “what are these?” He was looking at his packages with concern, his young eyes turning to Kurenai beside him.

“They’re Christmas presents, it’s a tradition that they have here,” Kurenai said, smiling at the young ninja. When Tenzo still didn’t touch his presents she went on, “you can open them, they aren’t going to explode.”

“Unless they’re from Fred and George,” Kakashi called from across the room.

The rest of the team had more fun watching Tenzo open his gifts than they had opening their own. He marveled at the fruit cake and fudge, picking one up, then the other to examine them again and again. Then he grinned up at his teammates. “This is all for me?”

“They were on your bed weren’t they?” Ebisu teased.

“You probably shouldn’t eat that for breakfast though,” Kakashi advised, watching Tenzo unwrap the fruitcake. “Save it for later.”

Tenzo nodded agreeably and rewrapped the cake, a small smile on his face. The five ninja prepared for the day and then Tenzo headed out early so he could enter the Great Hall unnoticed.

Kurenai watched the door to their room shut behind their youngest teammate. There was a frown on her face but she said nothing. Kakashi said, “he’s not lonely if that’s what you’re worried about.”

Kurenai nodded. “I know. It just doesn’t seem fair that we get to have friends and meal mates but he has to eat alone.”

“I’d be more worried if everyone knew about him, the way that Skeeter person is prowling around,” Ebisu said.

“Our most youthful teammate can’t possibly be lonely when he has us around,” Guy said grinning.

Kurenai nodded and they all headed down for breakfast. 

After lunch, the guards decided to go out to the grounds for a bit of training before the ball. Guy and Kakashi had been doing laps around the lake daily, much to the astonishment of the Durmstrang students.

As the group headed into the open air, a scream echoed across the snowy fields. The guards stopped dead and Tenzo immediately hid himself. Kurenai and Ebisu looked at each other. Kakashi squinted, the sun reflecting off of the snow blinded him slightly. Another scream followed the first, then someone was laughing.

Without saying a word, the four ninja took off toward the voices, kicking up snow in their wake. As they crested the hill they came upon Fred, George, Ginny, Ron, Harry, and Hermione having a snowball fight. Well, the Weasleys and Harry were fighting. Hermione seemed to be watching more than anything. Fred had just shoved a handful of snow down the neck of Ginny’s cloak and Ginny was dancing around, flapping the cloak in an attempt to get the snow out before it melted.

Kurenai sighed in relief. Ebisu shook his head. Guy looked mildly interested in the game. “Everyone okay here?” Kakashi asked.

The wizards and witches looked up at the guards. Fred smiled up at them, “we’re fine Kakashi. Do you want to have a match?” The twins were grinning. Harry looked uncertain.

Guy was practically crying, looking at Kakashi with puppy-dog eyes. The jonin attempted to ignore the chunin’s begging. “What are the rules?

George winked at Fred. “No rules,” Fred continued, “we usually just keep pelting each other with snowballs until one side admits defeat.”

Kakashi began walking toward the group, his team following him. “Doesn’t seem that hard.”

“Oh but you’re one short,” Ginny said frowning, counting their team numbers verses her own.

Kakashi smiled behind his mask, “I don’t think-” but a new voice entered the conversation.

“May I join you?”

Kakashi whirled. There was another boy in a black cloak who had just walked up. He had black hair and wide eyes. Kakashi’s eyes narrowed at the newcomer but he said nothing. Guy was practically jumping for joy now.

“Sure,” George said. “The more the merrier. This will make the teams even.”

The two teams lined up opposite each other. Every one of them had a snowball in their hands. Kurenai held hers casually like she wasn’t sure what to do with it. Her eyes, however, betrayed how alert she was. Ebisu held his snowball at his waist, pushing his sunglasses up his nose with the other hand. Kakashi and Tenzo-in-disguise looked bored, purposely keeping themselves loose. Guy was actually jumping for joy now. His teeth gleamed in a smile.

“Don’t get hit,” Kakashi muttered to the disguised Tenzo.

The black-haired boy smiled, “I won’t senpai.” 

Ginny, Harry, and Ron looked nervous but held their ground. Fred and George surveyed their opposition and suddenly felt unprepared as Hermione gave the signal to start. Ginny chucked her snowball at Kurenai and ducked down to form her next missile. Kurenai had dodged, however, and her snowball went sailing into Fred’s chest.

George chucked one at Kakashi but the captain disappeared along with the mid-air snowball. George began pulling out his wand as the ball of white reappeared, smashing into the back of his head from behind. George hunched his shoulders against the impact and reached a hand up to brush the snow out of his hair. His wand lay forgotten in his pocket as he crouched to mold another snowball.

Tenzo threw his snowball at Harry but with so much force that the ball disintegrated mid-flight. Unperturbed, the disguised ninja scooped up more snow and flung it at Ginny, who had just stood up with her fresh snowball. The witch squealed as the snow hit her in the face and threw her ball wildly. Ebisu caught the stray snowball, spun mid-air and flung both Ginny’s snowball and his own at Harry. Ginny’s snowball connected with the ball that Harry had just thrown but Ebisu’s continued on, splashing snow onto Harry’s glasses and blinding the Champion.

Tenzo-in-disguise ran here and there, throwing snowballs at anything that moved, careful to dodge any projectiles that came his way. Whenever he got someone else with a snowball, his face was enveloped in a huge grin.

Meanwhile, Guy had been building snowballs for his teammates. Piles of tightly compressed snow spheres lay in a line. This done, Guy launched into an all-out attack on the twins, pelting first Fred, then George with the white orbs. Fred attempted to use a shield charm but he couldn’t concentrate enough to make it work.

“Ron look out,” Hermione cried too late as Kurenai and Kakashi caught Ron in a crossfire.

Fred returned fire against Kurenai and Kakashi but Kurenai disappeared and Kakashi flipped out of the way.

“Snow hurricane,” Guy cried as he did a spinning kick through a snowdrift, causing a wave of snow to fly at the wizards and witch. Ginny cried out, covering her head with her gloved hands. The wizards tried various forms of covering their heads with their cloaks until the isolated shower was over.

When things got very still the twins and Harry peaked out from under the dark material. They were surrounded. Each opponent had a snowball; Kurenai was tossing hers in the air and catching it.

“Ready?” Kakashi said and at some unknown cue, the entire group threw their snowballs at the surrounded team. Then Kakashi, Guy, Kurenai, and Ebisu’s hands flashed through a familiar set of hand signs. The mid-air snowballs multiplied and hit, battering the targets in flakes and slush.

“We give up we give up!” Ginny cried out, laughing.

“Don’t admit defeat Ginny!” George cried, bending to put together another snowball but he realized there was enough snow on his mittens and arms to make three more snowballs.

Fred was beating his mittens together to get the snow off. He’d already put away his wand to keep it from getting wet. “I think we’ve had it George.” 

“I give up!” Harry agreed, wiping the snow from his face. He wasn’t even sure how snow had gotten between his glasses and his face.

Hermione just stared, flabbergasted. The guards and the other boy were completely dry! Their ungloved hands were red with cold but there wasn’t a flake on any of them. Guy was pounding Kakashi on the back and saying something. Kakashi’s shoulders slumped and he looked up at the sky. The dark-haired boy who had joined them at the last minute was talking to Kurenai excitedly, his eyes wide with joy. Ebisu was helping Ginny get the snow out of her hair.

Hermione smiled and said, “I’ve got to go back up to the castle to get ready.” The wizards had almost forgotten about the dance.

This caught Ginny’s attention. “Hold up, I’ll go with you.”

“What? You need three hours to get ready?” Ron called after them. Hermione ignored him. Ginny turned around to wave him off. “What’s with girls and needing a year to get ready for something?” A snowball smashed into the side of his head.

Kakashi’s head whipped around to look at Kurenai. She mouthed, “slipped” at him and shrugged. He didn’t let the smile on his face reach his eyes.

“We’d all better head up then,” George said. “I don’t know about you but I’ll need a shower after this.” He gestured at his soaked cloak and robes. The remaining wizards began to walk up to the castle and the five guards followed in a separate group further back.

“That was a most youthful game,” Guy proclaimed. “Do you think anyone else will want to play?”

“Probably not with _us_ ,” Kurenai chuckled.

“Maybe the Whomping Willow will throw snowballs at you Guy,” Kakashi said, only half serious.

Guy’s eyes lit up. “Do you think so?”

Kakashi ignored him. “Still, I think we may have to use this as a training exercise in the future,” Kakashi said as they approached the Entrance Hall. “It’ll be a lot more interesting with us pitted against each other.”

“Our rivalry shall continue Kakashi! I challenge you to a snowball battle!”

“Hm? Did you say something Guy?”

The guards entered the castle and, like the students, they went back to their tower to prepare for the Yule Ball.


	18. The Tournament Ball

**Chapter 16: The Tournament Ball**

Since they didn’t want Guy to stick out any more than usual, Team Hogwarts had pitched in to buy Guy some authentic dress robes. After Ebisu figured out Guy’s size by various methods, including measuring one of his spare outfits, Kakashi had sent away for the robes with an owl that Dumbledore let them use.

After they returned from the snowball fight, the group presented the spring green robes with silver trim to Guy. He was almost in tears. “This is- I’m- What wonderful friends I have!”

“I’ll tell them you said that when I see them,” Kakashi joked as Guy went to change.

After Guy closed the bathroom door Kakashi asked, “is everyone else ready?” They all replied in the affirmative, including Tenzo who now looked like himself again. “Good. Tenzo, I want you outside. I know there are a lot of places for the students to sneak off to, make sure they don’t go anywhere that will become a problem. Use your imagination on how to herd them back but stay out of sight.”

Tenzo nodded to show that he understood.

“Kurenai, Ebisu, I want you two mingling both inside and outside. I’ll stay in the main ballroom. Anyone have a problem?” Nobody said anything and Guy stepped out of the bathroom.

Guy looked quite dapper in his dress robes. The green color was the same as his usual outfit. It was obviously still Guy but he could almost pass for a wizard.

“How do I look?” Guy asked, striking a pose. Kurenai snorted in response but there was a smile on her face. They all gave him thumbs up in salute. “Well I’m off then. I’ll see you all down there.” Guy stepped out and made his way down the hall and some stairs to the entrance of the Slytherin House dormitories. 

Kakashi allowed Tenzo to exit next and he vanished. Then Kakashi, Ebisu, and Kurenai made their way down to the Entrance Hall. Once there, Kakashi separated from the group and went into the sealed Great Hall by the back way. Ebisu and Kurenai stayed with the gathering students.

“Oh Ron,” Kurenai said with a sympathetic expression on her face.

The red head’s dress robes were fraying in places and it looked like the sleeves and collar had been slightly burned. The wizard ignored the looks directed at his clothes; he was too busy looking around for someone. Harry stood beside Ron along with two stunning witches in hot pink and turquoise dress robes.

Ebisu watched as Ron ducked behind Harry when Fleur walked by. “I’ll be back in a minute,” Ebisu said to Kurenai. She nodded and watched the new chunin make his way over to the youngest male Weasley.

Ron scowled when he saw Ebisu approaching. “Have you seen Hermione?” Ron asked as soon as Ebisu was close enough to hear him.

The ninja was taken aback by the question. “Ah, no, I haven’t. Ron, follow me a second.” The wizard continued to frown as Ebisu led Ron into the empty room off of the Entrance Hall. Ron was looking out the door even as Ebisu closed it behind them.

“Now Ron, hold still a minute. I want to try something on your robes.” Ebisu said this as sensitively as he could.

Ron looked down at his robes that he’d momentarily forgotten about. His scowl darkened. “Try whatever you like, they can’t get much worse can they?”

Ebisu made a hand sign and said, “how do you feel about blue?”

“What?” Ron asked in surprise and then looked back down at his robes. The garment was transformed and now looked similar to Harry’s but instead of bottle green they were azure blue. Also like Harry’s robes, Ron’s new outfit brought out the color of his eyes. 

Ebisu put his hand down and nodded in satisfaction. “That should do,” he pushed his sunglasses up his nose with a finger. He had a smirk on his face.

“Bloody hell,” Ron said, astonished. He grasped the material in his fingers. The outfit felt new. “How did you do it?”

“It’s just a trick we have,” Ebisu explained. “It’s not permanent but it will last the night.”

Ron looked up at him, a smile growing on his face, “you know what Ebisu? You’re alright.” 

“Thank you,” the chunin said curtly. “Now I believe you have a date that you need to attend to?”

“Right.” Ron said, “thanks Ebisu!” He opened the door and the noise of chattering students met them. The wizard weaved through the crowd quickly so he could show Harry his robes.

Ebisu closed the door and rejoined Kurenai. “Using a jutsu?” Kurenai asked skeptically. “For an outfit?”

“It’s not for the outfit. It’s for an evening that’s going to be embarrassing when it should be fun and a shining memory of their school days. No need to start off being embarrassed before the night even begins.”

“Who says he’s going to be embarrassed?” Kurenai asked, watching Harry grin as Ron showed his robes off to Padma and Parvati. 

“Viktor Krum is taking his crush to this dance; it _will be_ embarrassing,” Ebisu said with feeling.

While Ebisu had been gone the Slytherins had arrived as a group. Guy was among them with Millicent on his arm. She was smiling and shining in silver robes with green trim. Her robes were a feminine, inverted version of Guy’s green with silver trim robes.

“It’s almost like we planned it that way,” Kurenai said, smiling and waving at Guy. Then she suddenly turned to Ebisu. “Wait, _did_ we plan it that way?”

“Kakashi picked the colors so I assume he made a logical guess,” Ebisu said. 

A moment later the Durmstrang students entered through the front door. Viktor Krum was in the lead with a dolled up Hermione on his arm. Hermione smiled and nervously waved at Kurenai and Ebisu. 

Then the doors to the Great Hall opened to let the students enter. Everyone heard a shouted, “champions, over here please,” in the back of the Entrance Hall.

The other students plus Guy filed into the Great Hall. Harry and Parvati, Fleur and Roger Davies, Cedric and Cho, and Viktor and Hermione hung back with Professor McGonagall directing them. Ebisu and Kurenai remained also and would slip in after the Champion Processional.

After everyone else was settled in the Great Hall, the champions and their partners marched in to much applause. Kurenai and Ebisu now saw that the Great Hall had been decorated like never before. Garlands of holly were hung generously above everyone’s heads. The walls looked like they were covered in frost and instead of the house table setting there were dozens of smaller tables lit by lanterns.

The champions sat at the top table along with the tournament judges. Percy Weasley was there in Mr. Crouch’s stead and pulled out the chair next to him. Harry took the hint and sat down. Percy began to speak with Harry as the other champions also sat. Hermione and Viktor were in deep conversation and everyone else began ordering food onto their plates. Everyone except for Fleur, who was watching a certain silver-haired ninja pass by the table.

After the meal had been consumed, Dumbledore stood, gesturing for everyone else in the hall to stand also. With a wave of the headmaster’s wand the tables zoomed to the sides of the room. Then a stage appeared and it was soon occupied by The Weird Sisters. The lanterns throughout the hall dimmed.

In the dark, Kakashi stepped up next to Harry. “Remember to only count in your head,” Kakashi whispered encouragingly. Before Harry could respond he saw that the guard was already past him, stepping up to Cedric and saying something to him as well. Cedric’s teeth reflected the dim light as he grinned and slapped Kakashi on the back. Cho looked confused by the interaction. The ninja was gone as quickly as he had arrived.

The champions stepped onto the dance floor that Dumbledore had created and began the ball. After several musical bars of dancing by themselves, other couples took to the floor, and soon everyone had joined the dance. Kakashi, Ebisu, and Kurenai watched as Guy spun Millicent enthusiastically, her silver dress robes shining in the lantern light.

Ebisu asked, “did Guy take dancing lessons from you two?”

“No, that was just Cedric and Harry,” Kurenai laughed as Guy pulled the witch out of a dip.

“We’re ninja Ebisu,” Kakashi said. “We already have good footwork. Dancing is easy after that.”

After a few more minutes of enjoying Guy’s “youthful display”, the song ended and everyone clapped. Kakashi said, “I’d better go outside and check on Tenzo.” Kurenai and Ebisu nodded, taking Kakashi’s hint that they should stop standing around and start circling the room. 

As the next song began, this one much faster, Ebisu felt the need to walk over and tell Fred and Angelina that if they kept dancing that excitedly they’d injure someone. He was mid-sentence when he had to duck to avoid Angelina’s flailing arms.

“Oops, sorry Ebisu,” Angelina said, noticing him.

Ebisu pushed his sunglasses up his nose in response.

Kurenai, meanwhile, was approaching Harry, a Ravenclaw girl, Ron, and Hermione. The last two of the group were having a shouting match over Harry’s head. The champion sunk lower and lower in his seat, trying to avoid the yelling.

“What seems to be the problem?” Kurenai asked. Hermione stood up and stormed off. Ron crossed his arms and glared straight ahead. “How enlightening,” Kurenai said sarcastically. “Anything else?”

Padma stood up and joined her sister, who was dancing with a Beauxbatons boy. Then Viktor walked up with two butterbeers in his hand. “Where’s Hermione?” He asked innocently enough.

Before Ron could look up Kurenai said, “she went that way Viktor.” She pointed in the direction she’d last seen Hermione. The wizard with hawk features left in search of his partner.

Kurenai turned back, eyes blazing. “What is going on? Did you honestly think that Hermione would lie about having a date just to get to you?”

Harry opened his mouth to protest. “I’m not talking to you Harry,” Kurenai said sternly, not taking her eyes off of Ron. The Gryffindor shut his mouth. “If you’re going to be a sore loser AND a spoilsport then why are you here?” After a moment of silence Ron stood up and left. “Now Harry-” but Kurenai was interrupted.

“Hey Harry, Kurenai,” Cedric and Cho pulled up next to them.

Kurenai stole a quick glance at Harry, then Cho. Maybe this didn’t have to be a total loss. “Hi, ah, Cedric could I talk to you a minute?” 

The Hufflepuff’s eyes widened but then he grinned, “sure Kurenai. Um, Harry would you mind dancing with Cho for a bit so she doesn’t feel like she’s missing anything?”

Harry’s head jerked upward so fast that Kurenai was sure he’d strained his neck. “Yes, I mean, no I wouldn’t mind.” He stood up quickly and accompanied Cho to the dance floor.

“What did you want to talk about?” Cedric asked, giving the kunoichi his full attention.

“I just wanted to tell you I’m sorry for turning you down,” Kurenai said hastily. 

Cedric’s eyebrows went up, then they furrowed. “So you don’t have someone back home?”

“No, I do, but I don’t think he knows I exist. Anyway, we could have at least gone as friends.” Kurenai tried to smile but her mouth froze when she saw the look on Cedric’s face.

The Hufflepuff’s face was pinched and uncomfortable to look at. When he spoke his tone was cold, “no Kurenai, I don’t think we could have.”

Kurenai just stared at him, her mouth trying to form words. By the time she could put together a coherent thought, Cedric had stiffly turned and walked away.

The kunoichi didn’t see Kakashi until he was right in front of her. She had gone from staring straight ahead to at the floor, some point after Cedric had disappeared into the crowd.

Kakashi stooped a little to meet his teammate’s eyes. “Kurenai?” He touched her shoulder with his hand and gave her a tiny shake. “I said, ‘is everything alright?’” He straightened as she looked up.

 _How long was I just standing like that?_ Kurenai wondered absently. She gratefully realized that by placing himself in front of her, Kakashi had shielded her from the view of the rest of the room. “I’m fine Kakashi,” she breathed. Her voice shook a bit. She swallowed to steady it but the lump in her throat practically choked her.

“What happened?” He asked, his neutral expression in place.

She couldn’t think of a lie. After a moment of opening and closing her mouth aimlessly she said, “Cedric fell for me.”

Kakashi’s expression did not change. “Anything else I need to know?”

“No.”

They both knew it was a lie but the jonin nodded as if accepting this answer. He watched Kurenai’s reddening face and watering eyes in apprehension. _What do I do?!_ “Um, should I get you some butterbeer?”

Kurenai choked out a laugh, wiping her burdened eyes. “No, thank you Kakashi. I think I’m going to go make sure Tenzo is okay outside.”

 _I just did that but okay,_ Kakashi thought. “I’ll patrol in here then.”

Kurenai nodded, wiping her face again as she walked away.

The rest of the dance passed as normally as a Triwizard Ball might. Tenzo had to do a bit of rose bush shaking to keep students out of trouble but there were no serious incidents. The Weird Sisters finished up at midnight and the ninja saw the various students off to bed.

Guy offered to take Kurenai’s patrol shift that night but she refused. They had shortened shifts anyway due to the dance, she’d argued. Guy and Kakashi exchanged a look. Kakashi signed ‘leave it’ when Kurenai wasn’t looking.


	19. A Hostage Situation

**Chapter 17: A Hostage Situation**

Nobody was up and about early the following morning, nobody except for the guards. Guy and Kakashi could be seen jogging around the lake early in the morning as usual. Kakashi, having the last patrol shift, had been up a couple of hours already. They joined the rest of the team and the students for a late breakfast.

At the Gryffindor table, Kakashi watched Cedric approach and speak with Harry. There weren’t as many students gone as usual for the Christmas holiday but there were still enough people gone, mainly the first through third years, that there were large gaps between groups of students at the tables. 

“Harry, I need to talk to you,” the Hufflepuff said seriously.

Harry set down his fork that had just skewered an egg. “Is it about last night? Because I didn’t mean to dance three dances with your date, it kind of just-”

Cedric visibly paled. “No, it’s not about last night.” He shook his head, just barely stopping himself from looking back toward the Hufflepuff table. He clenched his jaw, “it’s about the egg.” He looked at Ron and Hermione who still sat close to Harry despite the extra room.

“I’ll just tell them anyway,” Harry said.

Cedric nodded, “just making sure.” He continued, “you have to open the egg under water to hear it normally. I don’t know if our messages are the same or what. Let me know what you hear after you’ve tried it?”

“Yeah, of course, thanks,” Harry said. He felt a weight leave his chest. He hated to admit that he’d been ignoring his egg and wasn’t even sure how to begin cracking it.

Cedric shook his head, “I would have been dead if you hadn’t given me that tip about the dragons.”

“Everyone else knew, it was only fair. Besides, we’re in this together,” Harry said, a small smile on his face.

“Hogwarts united,” Cedric smiled sadly. “If only we could get Slytherin House on board.” Both wizards turned to look at the distant table but their eyes fell on the other two tables instead. Cedric shook his head. “I’ve got to go,” the seventh year said, leaving quickly. He walked right past the Hufflepuff table and out the door. 

When classes began again, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were surprised to discover that Hagrid was no longer teaching Care of Magical Creatures.

“Where’s Hagrid?” Harry asked Professor Grubbly-Plank once again.

“I told you he’s indisposed,” she said stiffly. “It’s his business and therefore none of your concern.” The new professor raised her voice, “step forward girls, unicorns prefer a woman’s touch.”

As the girls slowly approached the unicorn tethered near Hagrid’s hut, Malfoy stepped up to Harry, “you really don’t know?” The usual sneer was missing from his voice.

“What’s it to you Malfoy?” Ron shot out.

Malfoy glared at Ron before turning to his friends. “Crabbe? Have you still got that newspaper with you?” A copy of that morning’s edition of the Daily Prophet was produced out of Vincent’s robes. Malfoy folded it open to a page and held it out to Harry. Ron snatched it from his hand. Malfoy’s face darkened in response, “see if we care, just thought you ought to know.” 

The Slytherins shuffled away as the duo read Rita Skeeter’s article on Hagrid being a half-giant. The wizards showed the article to Hermione as soon as class was over.

“Well I figured he must have been a half-giant,” Hermione said. “He couldn’t be a full-blooded one, they’re about twenty feet tall.” 

“But how did she find out?” Ron exclaimed. “He didn’t even tell _us_!”

“What’s the big deal if he is half-giant?” Harry asked.

“You honestly never paid any attention in History of Magic did you?” Hermione scolded.

“Nobody who knows Hagrid will care because they know he’s not dangerous,” Ron said. “But giants are vicious, it’s in their nature. They just like killing.”

“They can’t be all bad Ron,” Hermione said. “It’s the same thing with werewolves, it’s just wizards thinking they’re superior.”

Ron didn’t seem to be too eager to get into another fight with Hermione since they’d just had one after the ball. He shut his mouth.

When the next Hogsmeade trip in January came around, Kakashi decided that Guy and Ebisu should go. Interestingly, Kakashi overheard Harry say at breakfast that he wasn’t going to go down to the village.

“I need to work on that egg in the bathroom. This weekend’s going to be the most alone time I’ll get,” he explained.

Ron and Hermione nodded. “We’ll see if we can find Hagrid in the village and talk some sense into him,” Hermione said.

After seeing Ron and Hermione off at the Entrance Hall, Harry walked upstairs to collect his egg and go to one of the dorm bathrooms. Meanwhile, Ebisu and Guy followed the rest of the students to Hogsmeade.

“Anything you want to do this particular trip Guy?” Ebisu asked as they walked through High Street for the third time.

“Let’s get a butterbeer and warm up,” Guy said. “That’s where the youthful students gather and share their feelings!”

“Um, alright, I guess.” Ebisu tentatively agreed, heading toward the Three Broomsticks.

As they stepped inside and stomped the snow off of their boots, they noticed that it was unusually quiet in the pub. Then they heard, “sit down silly girl, don’t talk about things that you don’t understand.”

Hermione was standing at the bar, holding a bottle of butterbeer in a shaking hand. Rita Skeeter and her photographer faced her. Ron sat at the bar behind Hermione, white-faced. 

“Hermione,” Ebisu spoke into the silence in what he hoped was a calming tone. The ninja wasn’t looking at her however, his shaded eyes were on Rita Skeeter.

Tension broken, the reporter turned, appraising Guy and Ebisu. Her eyes caught the symbol on Guy’s belt in the gap of his cloak and on Ebisu’s bandana. “ _More_ guards? Where _do_ you people come from?” Regular chatter had built up again in the pub.

“Nowhere you’d want to visit,” Guy said in an uncharacteristically dull tone. The ninja approached the bar.

“On the contrary, I think I’d find it very interesting,” Rita said, her voice syrupy sweet. “Why don’t you tell me about it?”

Ebisu raised an eyebrow, “is it usually that easy?”

Rita changed tacks instantly, “what’s your captain’s story? Surely a troubled young man like him has a story worth being told? Why does he keep his face covered? What is he hiding?”

Ebisu snorted and said nothing. In his head he thought, _you and half the people in Fire Country want to know._

She continued, trying to goad them, “tell me, is he insane?” 

“Are you?” Guy asked calmly. If she had been hoping to get a rise out of them by insulting their captain, she was going to be disappointed. 

Rita’s eyes narrowed. “The whole lot of you are stubborn aren’t you?”

Guy grinned and gave her a thumbs up that seemed to be a mockery of his usual joviality. “You bet!”

Ron hid a snicker. Rita’s eyes darted back to the students but she was only met with a glare from Hermione. “I’ll be seeing you again,” she said and swept out of the pub. Her photographer scrabbled after her.

“You shouldn’t irritate Rita Skeeter Hermione,” Ron said as the witch finished her butterbeer. “It’s fine for the guards but she’ll go after you.”

“And why wouldn’t she go after the guards?” Hermione demanded, side-stepping the comment.

“She can try,” Ebisu said, sitting next to Hermione. He ordered a butterbeer for himself and Guy. “Right now her focus is Kakashi and I can’t begin to tell you how much of a dead-end that obsession will be.” He took a sip of his butterbeer, “like trying to walk through a stone wall.”

Guy stared at his butterbeer somberly.

Hermione finished her butterbeer in a couple of gulps. She clunked it down on the counter. “Come on Ron, we’re going to see Hagrid.” The witch and wizard exited into the snowy street.

“That Skeeter woman is becoming more and more of a problem,” Guy said once the students had left.

“She can’t get at us,” Ebisu stated plainly, taking another drink from his butterbeer. He briefly thought about how Kakashi was purposely diverting the reporter’s attention so it would rest solely on him. It was working like a charm.

“It’s not us I’m worried about,” Guy said. “Ron’s right, she’ll go after Hermione, any of the students really.”

“All we can do is keep her away from the students at the tournament events and keep her off of the grounds at any other time,” Ebisu replied.

Guy nodded and they sat in companionable silence. After they finished warming up they went back out into the snowy streets to patrol.

After everyone had returned to the castle, Ebisu and Hermione were surprised to find Harry and Cedric in the library discussing something quietly.

“What’s up?” Hermione asked as she approached. Ebisu was right behind her.

Harry opened his mouth to answer and then quickly shut it, looking at something over Hermione’s right shoulder. Ebisu went still and then relaxed. Viktor Krum had just walked up behind them.

“How are you Hermione?” Viktor asked.

“I’m great Viktor, how are you?”

The Durmstrang Champion eyed the collected group. “I’m fine. Just talking to your friends?” He put a stressor on the word “friends” that Ebisu found interesting. Then Ebisu, appraising the group, started to wonder if Hermione had any female friends that she spent time with on a regular basis. No one came to mind. 

“Yes,” Hermione said, unsure if she should say anything beyond that. She was quite certain that Harry and Cedric were discussing the next task.

“Would you like to go for a walk with me?” Viktor asked, mumbling out the last part.

Hermione smiled, “sure Viktor.” To the others she said, “I’ll see you all later.” She gave Harry a particular look that clearly said, _I want to hear all about the egg._

“Well that was kind of awkward,” Cedric said once the couple had gone.

Ebisu nodded dismissively. “Yep.” Then, realizing that _he_ was the odd man out, he said, “well I’m going to go then.” As Ebisu headed to the door of the library, Kakashi came around the corner.

“I’ve been looking for you, meet me at Leaf Tower,” the clone said and then poofed.

Ebisu groaned. “He could have at least said why,” he muttered as he ran down the hall and up some stairs.

Ebisu got to the door as soon as Kurenai did. Guy and Tenzo were already in the room with Kakashi.

“What’s up?” Ebisu asked, joining the circle.

“Dumbledore just told me what the second task is,” Kakashi ground out.

“Kakashi is not pleased,” Guy said unnecessarily. The jonin was glaring at the far wall with one eye.

“So, what is it?” Kurenai asked.

“The champions have to go rescue a hostage from the bottom of the lake,” Kakashi said stiffly.

Ebisu started mentally flipping through the list of dangerous creatures that he’d been told live in the lake. He frowned. “And the safety measures?”

Kakashi just shook his head.

“There are none?” Kurenai exclaimed. “How is that possible? They said that they were going to make these tasks dangerous but they had all sorts of precautions in place!”

“The merpeople will keep an eye on things but only ‘in their territory’, which the headmaster can’t pin down for me.

“Dumbledore says the biggest risk the students face is actually a lie,” Kakashi continued. “The clue they were given implies very strongly that if they don’t retrieve their hostage, he or she will be lost forever. However, this is not the case. The hostages will, of course, be perfectly safe whether they’re found by their champion or not.”

“But still,” Ebisu said, “how are we supposed to protect the champions or hostages if something happens while they’re down there? I know Dumbledore thinks a lot of our skills but we’re not…”

“Were you going to say ‘magicians’?” Kurenai teased. Ebisu grumbled. 

“There’s something else,” Kakashi cut through Kurenai’s joking tone. “Kurenai, you’ve been requested to become a hostage.”

Tenzo’s usually wide eyes became unnaturally so. Ebisu looked up sharply at their captain. Guy frowned.

Kurenai turned very pale, her mind already jumping past the obvious question and its equally obvious answer. _Cedric,_ she thought.

“What?” Ebisu exclaimed. “No, Kakashi you can’t be allowing this?”

“After allowing Guy to attend the ball? I can hardly refuse this now. Besides, Dumbledore was very insistent.” Kakashi’s face was like stone.

“This is completely different!” Ebisu said, waving his hands.

“No it isn’t,” Kakashi said flatly. “I have set a precedent that when off duty, we have the same privileges as students. This is the domino effect of that decision.”

“You couldn’t have known this would happen,” Tenzo said quietly.

“This is my fault,” Guy said, washing his face with his hands.

“The fault is mine,” Kakashi said firmly. “But Kurenai, like the students who will be asked, has the option of refusal. Dumbledore thought it prudent to warn us beforehand. The student hostages will simply be snatched and asked the morning of the task.”

 _‘Thought it prudent’, more like he didn’t want Kakashi’s chidori in the chest of whoever he sent to collect Kurenai,_ Ebisu thought.

“I’ll do it,” Kurenai said softly but the four young men still heard her. Kakashi nodded. Ebisu and Guy stared. Tenzo looked from one face to the next. “How long do we have to stay underwater?” Kurenai asked, her voice still a whisper.

“The champions have an hour to look for their hostages, plus they’ll need time to place you in the lake, and retrieval time if the champion fails,” Kakashi said. His voice was deadly calm.

Kurenai forced a chuckle, “I can’t hold my breath _that_ long. Anyone know any good water jutsu for this sort of thing?”

Ebisu put a hand on his chin and scowled. “We didn’t bring anything like the masks that are used in the Hidden Mist or Hidden Rain. That’s the only thing that I can think of.”

Guy shrugged. “Has anyone tried doing a reverse water prison?”

Tenzo thought, _jutsu isn’t usually good for keeping people_ alive _._

Kakashi sighed again, one sigh in a string of sighs that had issued from him since the conversation had started. “Dumbledore says that they have a spell they’ll be using to put the hostages in suspended animation. I suspect it’s something akin to stunning except stunning basically just knocks you out. This would be more like hibernation or death, where you wouldn’t need to breathe at all.”

“Really comforting Kakashi,” Ebisu said sarcastically and then wished he hadn’t. Besides Kurenai, Kakashi was probably taking this the hardest. 

“And how will they…reanimate me?” Kurenai said, her voice stronger. She was mentally preparing herself for the job ahead of her.

“The spell will break when you’re brought to the surface,” Kakashi recited, sounding extra irritated the more he talked about it.

“And the students don’t know?”

“They know something will be taken from them that they’ll ‘sorely miss’. They will be told about their specific hostages right before the task begins.”

Kurenai nodded. “I’m going to go for a walk Kakashi, if you don’t mind.”

“You’re dismissed,” the captain responded, stepping aside to give Kurenai a clear path to the door. The other ninja didn’t move until the door closed.

“The newspaper is going to have a field day with this,” Guy said darkly. “’Champion’s hostage is a school guard! Where does this mystery girl come from?’ I was lucky that Rita didn’t notice Millicent and I at the ball. But how are we going to avoid this? Does Dumbledore just expect Rita Skeeter to skip this task if he asks nicely?”

Ebisu flopped onto his bed, his fingers rubbing the bridge of his nose beneath his sunglasses.

“Senpai?” Tenzo said. “You mentioned that Dumbledore insisted Kurenai be a hostage? Why?” 

Kakashi shook his head, “I do not know. But whatever he’s planning, it had better not put Kurenai in jeopardy.”

“What exactly did you say when Dumbledore first suggested Kurenai become a hostage?” Guy asked, his eyebrows knit.

Kakashi scratched the back of his head, not meeting any of their eyes. “I’d rather not repeat it.”

Tenzo frowned, “why? What did you say?”

“It was unbefitting my rank and our village and I’d rather not discuss it,” Kakashi tried again to brush the question off.

Ebisu’s face erupted in a grin, “Kakashi, did you cuss out a client?!” 

Tenzo said very quietly, “we can do that?”

Kakashi refused to respond to either of them. He laid back on his bed and closed his eye. 

Ebisu’s smile, if possible, got even wider. “You did! I wish I’d been there!”

“That was most unyouthful my rival,” Guy said, but there was a small smile on his face.

Kakashi quickly stood up and pulled his cloak out of his dresser. “I’ll be outside,” he called over his shoulder and left Leaf Tower. Guy began to follow suit but then he put his cloak back in his dresser and closed it. Kakashi needed some time to himself.


	20. The Second Task

**Chapter 18: The Second Task**

The days leading up to the second task whizzed by. The stress made Kakashi more and more irritated until one day Guy took him outside for a training marathon with the Whomping Willow. After that the jonin was too tired to be angry at anyone, including himself, for a single blissful day. The willow tree did look a bit worse for wear though.

Cedric and Harry, meanwhile, strategized during many of their free periods. They did their best to avoid being seen together so people didn’t know that they’d been helping each other. Guy did catch them on his night patrol once but he pretended to not see them as they entered the Prefect’s Bathroom. 

“What’s in the Prefect Bathroom?” Kakashi asked after Guy shared this. The captain had been awake when Guy came in from his shift, even though it was the middle of the night. 

“I’ve been told by my Slytherin Prefects that it has a large pool inside. They’re probably practicing the spell or whatever they’re using to breathe underwater.”

Kakashi nodded. “I suppose that’s why we keep seeing Viktor diving into the lake when we’re out for our runs.”

Guy nodded thoughtfully. “It gives him a slight advantage being able to use the lake itself to practice. It surprises me that Dumbledore allowed it.”

“Nothing that Dumbledore does should astonish us anymore but it always seems to,” Kakashi muttered. The jonin rubbed his eyes.

When the day of the second task arrived, Kakashi wasn’t surprised when Kurenai left breakfast early. Cedric watched her exit, without a word to him, with a frown on his face.

The guard captain was on pins and needles. After having circled the Gryffindor table for the twelfth time in one minute, he distracted himself by encouraging Harry. Ebisu and Guy also went around to each of the champions, wishing them luck. Kurenai’s absence in this gesture as well seemed to lower Cedric’s spirits even more.

When Kakashi watched Professor McGonagall approach the Gryffindor table he stiffened. But she wasn’t there to see him. The witch bent down and requested that Ron and Hermione go with her. Kakashi’s eyes narrowed and he looked over at Ebisu and Guy. They had seen it too.

Harry’s two closest friends got up, bewildered. They’d thought McGonagall was there to get Harry. They muttered some hurried encouragements to Harry and departed.

Kakashi didn’t fail to notice that Dumbledore was suddenly missing from the head table.

000000

In a side room Ron and Hermione joined Kurenai and a young blonde girl who could only be Fleur’s sister. McGonagall stood back and Dumbledore entered, explaining what Kurenai already knew.

Gabrielle’s lip trembled but she fisted her hand in her robes and nodded firmly in agreement.

Hermione and Ron agreed. Hermione did add, “I wish we could have seen Harry compete,” to Ron before Dumbledore spelled all three of them. The witches and wizard slumped over but were suspended in the air by McGonagall’s levitation spell.

Dumbledore turned to Kurenai. The kunoichi hid her confusion well but had to ask, “aren’t you going to put me under too?”

“No Kurenai, I have a special task for you. I would like you to keep an eye on these three while you’re at the bottom of the lake.” At Kurenai’s frown Dumbledore continued, “it’s just a precaution. There is nothing in the lake that should harm any of you but I hate to leave the four of you unprotected.”

“I can’t breathe underwater,” Kurenai said flatly, crossing her arms.

“But with gillyweed you can,” Dumbledore said. He produced two balls of what looked like green noodles. “One should last you until you’re rescued but I’m giving you two just in case. All you have to do is swallow it. You will grow temporary gills and webbed hands and feet for one hour once it’s consumed.”

“You want me to keep an eye on the others? Are you expecting me to be found last by my champion?” She couldn’t bring herself to say Cedric’s name just then.

“No, but having you awake for as long as you’re there is the most protection I can give the students without sending your entire team into the water. At that point I’d be accused of tipping my champions off somehow. This way I keep your unique abilities out of the papers.”

“On that note,” Kurenai said. “How are you planning on distracting Rita Skeeter from the fact that one of the school guards is a hostage?”

Dumbledore smiled. “I suspect that you know how to best change your appearance. How does Ms. Skeeter know that Cedric doesn’t have a girlfriend back home?”

Kurenai took the gillyweed that Dumbledore had been holding out the whole time. “Do you enjoy endangering yourself Professor?” Kurenai asked.

“I don’t know what you mean,” Dumbledore said, still smiling.

“It’s just, it would have been easier to tell Kakashi the whole plan rather than hiding it from him and making him want to murder you later on.” If Kurenai hadn’t been filled with adrenaline at that moment she would have thought of a more diplomatic way of expressing her thoughts. However, she was so she didn’t. 

Professor McGonagall stiffened behind Kurenai but said nothing. Dumbledore continued to smile and then opened a door that led down a flight of steps. The kunoichi followed Dumbledore out of the room and down the stairs. The three floating hostages came behind Kurenai and McGonagall came last. They exited the castle from a door that was on the lake side. There was no one in sight. Stands had been erected around one side of the lake.

“Once you’re in the water,” Dumbledore instructed, “eat the gillyweed. The merpeople will take you down to a place we’ve selected and tie you and the other hostages to a statue at the center of their settlement. That’s where you’ll be rescued, or not, by your champions.”

As he finished saying this they came to the lake’s edge. A gray humanoid with fins and dark green hair emerged and she and Dumbledore had a conversation. Professor McGonagall began to gingerly lower each student into the water with her wand.

When Dumbledore had finished speaking to the merchieftainess it was Kurenai’s turn to get into the water. She stepped into the lake and swallowed the gillyweed. The merperson gently took her hand and guided her deeper into the lake. Three other merpeople were there, each pulling a student down to the depths.

Kurenai couldn’t breathe at first and felt a thrill of panic. However, she calmed herself, swallowed, flexed her neck, and inhaled through her new gills. As her webbed feet and hands developed, she could keep up with the merperson at her side and the merchieftainess didn’t have to pull the ninja along so much.

They swam deeper and deeper until they came upon an underwater city filled with merpeople. In the city square was a large statue of a merperson. The other hostages had already been attached to the statue’s tail with some sort of rope. Kurenai squashed down her apprehension as she was also tied to the statue.

 _I’m here to protect these students,_ Kurenai thought, _and that’s what I’m going to do._ She chanted it over and over in her head, blocking the mental image of Cedric swimming to her rescue. _I have a job to do._ Her resolve stiffened, she waited with a forced calmness for the time in which she’d be confronted by Cedric.

Meanwhile, in the Great Hall, the champions were collected. Harry swallowed the last of the piece of toast he’d been holding and stood up. The wizard took one last hopeful look around the Great Hall. Ron and Hermione had not returned. Cedric approached him and slapped him on the back.

“It’ll be alright Harry,” the prefect smiled. He continued in a whisper, “after all, we’ve practiced.”

Kakashi followed the champions down, unable to stand around in the hall any longer. Guy and Ebisu, along with Tenzo in hiding, joined him by the lake when the rest of the school was summoned. 

At nine thirty, having explained what they were to do and retrieve, Mr. Bagman spaced Harry, Cedric, Fleur, and Viktor about ten feet apart on the lake bank. Cedric’s face was paler than ever.

The crowd cheered as the whistle blew. The champions all dove into the water, performing their various charms.

“I hate this,” Guy said to Kakashi as they watched the champions disappear into the depths of the lake. The bubbles they left behind quickly dissipated in the lake’s waves.

“I know the feeling,” Kakashi responded frigidly.

“Why are people here watching this?” Ebisu asked, joining them. “They can’t see anything. At least they could watch the task with the dragons.”

Guy shrugged at him. Kakashi didn’t move, he just stared out at the lake.

Meanwhile, in the lake, Harry performed the Bubble-Head Charm on himself just the way he and Cedric had practiced. They had agreed that they should keep their distance during the actual task. With this in mind, Harry struck out for what he thought was the center of the lake, paddling deeper and deeper. The water pressed in on him and the further he got from the surface the darker it became.

Harry pulled out his wand and said, “ _Lumos”._ His wand lit up and he could see at least a small distance in front and below him. Realizing that he was nowhere near the lake floor, he dove, swimming straight down until he saw some green weed growing on the bottom. It looked like a field of tall grass waving in the wind. 

Skimming this underwater meadow, Harry swam along, squinting in the darkness. Suddenly something grabbed his ankle. He kicked out but the pressure did not release. The wizard turned and saw a horned grindylow was attempting to drag him into the weeds. He fumbled his wand and by the time he had a firm grasp on it again, more grindylows had appeared, clutching at his legs.

“ _Relashio!_ ” Harry said, silently thanking Professor Lupin as the grindylows let go of his legs as if they’d been burned.

He swam further up from the weeds now but was no closer to his goal. Suddenly, a ghostly form appeared before him. Harry yelped as Moaning Myrtle waved at him. “Myrtle!” Harry exclaimed.

“Why don’t you visit me anymore Harry?” The girl pouted.

“Um, I don’t mean to be rude Myrtle, but this is kind of a bad time,” Harry said. It briefly crossed his mind how absurd it was to run into someone in the middle of the lake.

“Oh I know it is, I just popped by to tell you that maybe you should try over that way,” the ghost pointed in the direction of ten o’clock.

Harry blinked. “Wow. Honestly Myrtle, thanks,” the champion said.

“No problem,” she said. “Maybe now you’ll remember to come by and visit more often.”

“I will,” Harry promised. “Thanks again,” and he swam off in the direction Myrtle had indicated.

After several strokes Harry began to hear singing similar to what he’d heard come out of his egg. He followed the voices into an underwater village of stone houses covered in algae. Merpeople lined the passages between the dwellings. The song led Harry to a statue where, unmistakably, the hostages were tied. Harry swam wearily toward Ron, eyeing the merpeople with spears who surrounded the hostages. They didn’t try to stop him however, until he attempted to take one of their spears.

“We do not help,” the merman said, firmly holding his spear.

Frustrated, Harry began searching the bottom of the lake for a sharp stone to cut the rope with. Locating one he thought would work, he swam back up to the hostages, cutting Ron loose from the statue. He grabbed Ron by the collar and stopped, looking back at the others for the first time. He was shocked to see Kurenai, tied between Hermione and a little blonde girl, eyes open, looking at him calmly.

Harry released Ron, who simply floated in the weak current, in his surprise. He swam up to her. “Kurenai are you okay?”

Kurenai rolled her eyes in response, then nodded firmly. She easily pulled her hands free of the rope and tapped her index finger against the top of her left wrist.

Harry looked at Hermione and the girl, biting his lip. Kurenai beat her head against the rock behind her in irritated response. She pointed at him and then the surface.

Harry gestured at her and the two witches, forgetting that he’d spoken earlier with no problem. 

Kurenai shook her head and placed an open palm on her chest. She gave him a serious look. _I will look after them._ She pointed at Harry again and then at the surface. 

Harry nodded, grabbed Ron, and began to swim upward. A moment after Harry left, Cedric came paddling through the underwater village, knife in hand. His eyes looked wide but Kurenai wasn’t sure if that was because of the bubble charm or not. Harry’s eyes hadn’t looked _that_ wide in any case. 

When Cedric reached the kunoichi he just looked at her for a moment. Kurenai decided he needed to snap out of it sooner rather than later. The kunoichi shrugged her free shoulders and hands at him dramatically and then kicked her legs like a bored child. Cedric almost laughed. His face broke into a grin anyway.

The Hufflepuff swam forward and cut the loose rope, freeing his “hostage”. He grasped her hand firmly in his and they started kicking to the surface together.

When they broke the surface, Cedric’s bubble charm disappeared. Viktor and Hermione were right behind them, popping to the surface a few strokes away. Kurenai kept her neck below the water so she could breathe since the gillyweed was still in effect. Between Kurenai’s stamina and webbed feet, she could have out-swam Cedric easily but she hung back, letting him keep pace. Eventually the gills merged into her smooth neck once again and her hands and feet returned to their usual shape and dexterity. When the Hufflepuff and kunoichi reached the shallows, their entwined hands lingered together a moment longer than they needed to.

The crowd screamed enthusiastically as the pair stepped onto the shore. Kurenai froze mid-stride. She’d forgotten to conceal her appearance. Cedric turned back to look at her. She tried to give him a smile as she began moving forward again. Everyone had already seen her. _Well, I can’t do anything about it now._ Hermione and Viktor emerged from the lake behind them.

Off to the side, Kurenai noticed Ebisu speaking quietly with a crying Fleur. Madame Maxine loomed behind them disapprovingly. Dumbledore stepped over to the trio. The headmaster pointed to the lake and there, in the arms of the merchieftainess herself, was Fleur’s sister just waking up.

“Gabrielle,” Fleur cried, rushing to her frightened sister.

Kurenai took this in from a few steps away. _The other students thought it was real, it wasn’t just Harry,_ Kurenai thought. She shuddered slightly at the thought.

Then Kakashi and Guy were in front of her. “Cold?” Kakashi asked, half teasing half concerned.

Madam Pomfrey came forward, miffed that she’d missed Cedric and Kurenai’s initial emergence from the lake. They were forcefully wrapped in towels and the witch grabbed Cedric’s head and poured a potion down his throat. As steam began shooting out of his ears the ninja collectively stared in shock. When Madam Pomfrey approached Kurenai with the same concoction, Kakashi stepped between them. The captain’s hand was on a kunai in his pouch.

Kurenai stepped around him, frowning, and whispered, “what’s gotten into you?”

The kunoichi allowed the potion but insisted on drinking it herself rather than being force-fed. She took a sip but at Madam Pomfrey’s raised eyebrow Kurenai took a second, heartier swallow. Satisfied, the witch snatched the bottle back, muttering to herself.

“Our dear captain was very concerned for your well-being,” Guy said. His usual grin was a little strained. 

Kakashi grunted in response, eyes on Kurenai’s neck where the lines from her gills were still disappearing. 

“I’m fine,” Kurenai said as Cedric drew closer to the group.

He grinned at the two guards. “She was a great sport,” Cedric said. “It looks like she pulled double duty, being a guard _and_ a hostage.”

Kurenai stiffened.

Kakashi’s visible eye narrowed. “Dumbledore said that the hostages would be unconscious until surfacing.” He turned to his teammate, his voice cold, “why were you awake? Or maybe the better question is why didn’t I know about it?”

“It’s not a problem Kakashi,” Kurenai spat out immediately. “Dumbledore just asked if I’d keep an eye on the other hostages. I was in no danger at all,” she knew she spoke in vain.

“If there was no danger then why were you keeping an eye on the students? Why wasn’t someone down there protecting _you_? You were by yourself in an unfamiliar environment with no way to contact us,” he fumed. Kakashi already had his eyes locked on Dumbledore who was standing relatively alone after he’d spoken to the chief merperson. “He used you as protection for his _bait_. He wanted to draw out whoever is after Harry.”

“We have no way of knowing that Kakashi,” Guy protested.

“If there was a danger for the hostages then there was one for Kurenai, otherwise he wouldn’t have done it behind my back,” Kakashi ground out. He began walking toward the headmaster.

“He asked _me_ Kakashi, _I_ said yes,” Kurenai pleaded. 

Suddenly Ebisu had joined them but Kakashi glided past him. The jonin twisted to avoid Kurenai who tried to block his path. Then the three ninja closed ranks around Kakashi’s right side where his chidori had burst to life in his hand. Guy grasped Kakashi’s right arm, eyes hard.

Suddenly a small sapling burst out of the ground a pace in front of Kakashi, a barrier between him and Dumbledore. The small branches and leaves opened unnaturally fast in the morning light. The tree stopped growing when it was still rather small and Kakashi could see Dumbledore over the tops of the leaves.

Kakashi’s chidori extinguished and he clenched his fist instead. He glared at the earth in front of him where he could sense Tenzo hiding. For a second, Guy was worried that Kakashi was going to smash through the ground and pull Tenzo out by the front of his shirt. 

“Reckless,” Kakashi spat at the concealed ANBU.

Tenzo held his ground. The sapling grew a few more inches in response. _Look who’s talking._

Cedric, not realizing why the ninja had suddenly started walking around each other and away from him, came up behind Kurenai. He felt as if he’d said something wrong, but wasn’t sure what. Tension still buzzed between the guards. The Hufflepuff tentatively asked, “did that tree just grow out of nowhere?”

“Yeah,” Kurenai said, trying to sound breezy despite her thudding heart. “Weird weather we’re having.”

“It’s February, and trees don’t just grow like that,” Cedric protested, his eyebrows furrowing.

“The springtime of youth has arrived early,” Guy said, smiling too brightly. He stood in front of Cedric, blocking Kakashi from view. The captain of the guards was still glaring at the ground.

Cedric looked skeptically at Guy. Kurenai came to his rescue, “remember when we talked about how there are some things you just can’t ask?”

“Tree-growing is one of those things?” Cedric asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Yes,” Ebisu, Guy, and Kurenai chorused.

“Right,” Cedric said slowly. He took in the serious faces of the ninja and decided that it was time for him to step out. “Well I should go see how everyone else is,” Cedric said, forcing some cheer into his voice.

“I’ll go with you,” Kakashi said suddenly, looking away from the spot on the ground he’d been glaring at. His team stared at him in response. Cedric smiled and the two walked toward the group of champions and hostages.

“So…” Ebisu said.

“Yeah, follow him,” Guy agreed.

Cedric and the ninja approached Harry, Ron, and Hermione as they recapped their various adventures.   
“Did it take you long to find us?” Hermione asked Harry, hair dripping wet.

“There’s a beetle in your hair Hermione,” Viktor said, pouting slightly. The witch seemed to have forgotten that _he’d_ just rescued her. 

Hermione brushed at her hair irritably, missing the bug completely. Viktor picked the offending insect out of her wet mane and it flew away from his hand.

Kakashi saw the beetle and followed its flight with a hard expression. He reached up and caught it mid-air. The jonin flexed his hand and easily crushed the pest in his fist. It felt oddly satisfying. He wiped the remains on a pant leg and joined the group in listening to the champions’ scores.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> General Reminder: Rita Skeeter is an unregistered animagus. The animal she transforms into is a beetle. I will also take this moment to remind you that I put in a warning for character death.   
> Have a nice day.


	21. Awake Awake

**Chapter 19: Awake, Awake**

After the champions heard their scores and received their limited information about the next task, it would occur at dusk on June 24th, everyone headed back up to the castle. Madam Pomfrey bustled the champions and their hostages ahead to see that they got warm and into a dry change of clothes. Kurenai slipped away easily.

Immediately after a quick conference with her teammates, Kurenai grasped Kakashi by the elbow and marched him to Leaf Tower. Kakashi went with the kunoichi without protest. The jonin prepared himself for another lecture, mentally distancing himself as much as possible. He had to have a conversation with Dumbledore after this and was conserving strength to keep himself in line for that taxing talk. _I can’t keep losing my temper like this,_ Kakashi thought, frustrated.

“Kurenai, could we possibly speak about this later?” Kakashi asked as they walked.

The ruby eyed kunoichi chuckled darkly. “Kakashi, if you think we’re going to let you talk to Dumbledore _now_ , you’re more exhausted than we thought.”

Kakashi let the comment roll off of his mind. He had to preserve his mental energy.

When they reached Leaf Tower, Kurenai opened the door with a pulse of chakra in her hand and practically shoved Kakashi inside.

“You be ready for bed in ten minutes. I’ll be back,” Kurenai said sternly.

Kakashi wore a shocked expression when she slammed the door in his face. Obediently, he prepared for sleep. When Kurenai returned he was sitting up in his bed, wearing his usual pants, sleeveless shirt, and mask. His headband was off and he had his left eye closed tightly.

“Are you happy?” Kakashi asked wearily. His face was as blank as he could make it but the neutrality of it was challenged by the dark circles under his eyes.

“Not quite,” Kurenai said. “Lay back,” she ordered.

Kakashi did, covers halfway up his chest. He stared at the ceiling in what he hoped she thought was a restful expression. _Satisfied?_ He wasn’t sure what his teammate was trying to accomplish; he wasn’t going to be able to go to sleep, not now.

“Kakashi, look at me,” Kurenai ordered. Her hands weaved some signs.

The jonin did look at her, his eye widened slightly, and then went out of focus. He felt a warm summer breeze ruffle his hair and could smell the trees around their village. With quiet realization, and resignation, he relaxed. _Oh, genjutsu? That might work._

Kurenai watched the unfocused eye shut, a slight sigh issuing from her captain as he drifted off into a dreamless sleep. The kunoichi watched his chest rise and fall for a few seconds before squeezing his exposed hand. It remained limp by his side despite the contact. “Sleep well Kakashi.”

When Kurenai stepped out of Leaf Tower and closed the door, the rest of the team was waiting for her. Even Tenzo was out of hiding, standing with the group.

Guy gave the unnecessary order, “no one disturbs him. I don’t even want anyone going in there for the rest of the day.” He addressed Kurenai, “he’ll wake up on his own?”

She nodded. Then, “I’m guessing he’s been awake when you guys come in from your night patrols too? I’d hoped it was just me.”

Guy said, “I caught him pretending to sleep once. He claimed he’d just gotten up to go to the bathroom and didn’t want me to think that I’d woken him. Ebisu?”

“He’s usually asleep when I come back but I also have the first shift so I’m pretty eager to just get to bed,” the new chunin admitted guiltily. “If he’d been faking, I wouldn’t have noticed.”

Guy turned to the youngest of the group, “Tenzo?”

The ANBU shifted in place, ashamed. “He’s awake when I leave and gone by the time I come in,” Tenzo said, eyes on the floor. 

Kurenai put a hand on her own forehead as if to shield her eyes from a bright light. Guy sighed.

“How did we let this happen?”

“He wasn’t like this last year,” Ebisu said simply.

“We were also paying more attention last year. At least until we were separated,” Kurenai pointed out. “It all seemed so much fresher then.”

Guy stared at the floor, shaking his head. No one had to ask what “it” was.

“So what do we do?” Tenzo asked. “He often goes on whole missions without sleep but that’s the nature of our work. He couldn’t have been doing it this whole time.”

“No,” Guy agreed. “Kurenai being a hostage was probably the tipping point from little sleep to no sleep. It’s not your fault Kurenai,” Guy said quickly as the brunette’s eyes fell. “I should have been paying more attention at the task. He was quiet that whole hour and kept twitching at every noise.”

Ebisu added, “after that tense wait _and_ finding out that Dumbledore asked you to guard the hostages alone without telling him? I think he might have snapped a little.” 

Tenzo quietly said, “he wouldn’t have actually hurt him.”

They all turned and looked at Tenzo. “We know that,” Guy said remembering, on more than one occasion, how he had surprised Kakashi and gotten a death threat in response. “But not everyone’s eyes were on the champions. If Rita Skeeter saw what happened or your little display,” Tenzo looked embarrassed again, “then we’re in serious trouble.”

“Hermione has taken out a subscription to the Daily Prophet,” Ebisu said. “I’m sure if we come up in it, she’ll let us know.”

“If we don’t hear from Dumbledore first,” Tenzo said.

They all nodded. “Well,” Guy said. “I suppose we have lunch to get to.”

Kurenai groaned, “everyone’s going to be all over Cedric and me. This is a nightmare.”

“Why didn’t you conceal your appearance?” Tenzo asked innocently.

Kurenai groaned again. 

Lunch wasn’t as bad as Kurenai had feared. As it turned out, all of the Hufflepuffs had expected that Kurenai would be Cedric’s hostage as soon as it was announced that a person had been stolen from each champion. In fact, it would have been more shocking if she hadn’t been the one Cedric brought back from the lake. Mostly they just wanted to know if it was scary to be a hostage, what happened, etc. Kurenai recounted up until she was “bewitched to sleep”, then when she woke up upon surfacing. She suddenly turned concerned eyes to Cedric. He gave her a reassuring smile, he’d been listening to her story closely.

He hadn’t reported anything that had happened that involved her. Once she’d told her version of the events, he adjusted his telling based on her model. He found the hostages, cut her free, and dragged her to the surface where she awoke and then swam to shore with him.

Kurenai smiled at him from across the table. _He’s not just a pretty face ladies,_ she thought as the girls around the champion sighed.

Just then a dozen owls flew into the Great Hall. It took a moment for Guy to realize, after one of his Slytherins had accepted their newspaper, that it was a special edition of the Daily Prophet. Guy signed to Ebisu and Kurenai and the other two ran over to the Gryffindor table to see Hermione’s paper. Guy stayed with the Slytherin copy that the third year was all too happy to share.

The special edition was mainly on account of the Triwizard Tournament with a few extra articles on the back of the single page. Guy scanned it eagerly. The first thing he noticed was that there was nothing in the article about the guards or even Kurenai. The second thing he noticed was that there wasn’t one article by Rita Skeeter. He turned it over again but the only thing on the back that was of interest was that Bertha Jorkins was still missing. The reporter they did have covering the tournament simply said that Cedric’s hostage was “not a student” and that she was rescued safely.

Guy looked up to see Kurenai and Ebisu staring at him. He didn’t have any answers for them. He was just as confused. _My rival would have had some words of wisdom or at least encouragement,_ Guy thought but he was drawing a blank.

When they met up later Guy simply said, “well, maybe Rita Skeeter wasn’t there today. We caught a lucky break but we can’t let our guard down.” The words sounded lame in his ears but the group of ninja accepted them with a nod.

Hours later, Kakashi woke up lazily, his eyelids opening and closing laboriously. His throat was dry and his eyes were crusty. He wiped at them with a hand, yawning, as he sat up. There was a glass of water on his bedside table next to his book, beads of perspiration were just beginning to develop on the glass.

Kakashi shook his head. House elves continued to amaze and concern him. He drank the cool water gratefully anyway and stood up to stretch, his mind reviewing how and why he was in Leaf Tower alone. The memories came back quickly. Kurenai put him under a genjutsu because…Dumbledore. His hand on the glass tightened. _Still need to deal with that,_ the jonin thought, _but first._ Kakashi put his hands together to make a clone to collect his team but Tenzo was already stepping into the room.

The ANBU’s usually guarded face burst into a smile. “You’re awake.”

Kakashi raised an eyebrow. “Was I not going to pull through?” He asked, only half joking. Before answering, Tenzo made several transformed clones that zoomed off.

“No, you were fine, you were just asleep for so long,” Tenzo said brightly as the door closed behind the last of the clones.

Kakashi nervously scratched the back of his head. “How long was that exactly?”

The door to Leaf Tower clicked open. “Kakashi!” Guy greeted, bounding into the room. “You’re awake!”

“No I’m not, this is all a dream,” Kakashi said sarcastically. “Tenzo, how long-”

“Good to see you up captain,” Ebisu said, strolling in before the door had even closed behind Guy.

“Were you all really close by? You never get here this fast when _I_ summon you,” Kakashi said. He crossed his arms and opened his mouth to speak again.

The door to their rooms opened again. “Oh Kakashi thank goodness,” Kurenai said, walking in.

Kakashi looked at the ceiling in annoyance. “Was I on my death bed? I thought you simply put me under a genjutsu. Was there a problem?”

Kurenai stared at him, “no, but Dumbledore wants to see you and I couldn’t think of any more excuses for why you weren’t available.” She looked around at the assembled group. “Did something happen?”

“That’s what I would like to know,” Kakashi said, frustration tinting his voice. “Report.”

Tenzo immediately and blatantly spat out, “Kurenai put you under a genjutsu because you almost assaulted the client. We discussed your mental health.

“There have been two editions of the Daily Prophet since you went to sleep and neither mentioned us.

“Fred and George Weasley tried to get into Leaf Tower when they saw you weren’t at breakfast this morning; I dealt with them in the usual manner. We’ve had a guard on the door ever since.

“It is now eleven in the morning the day after the second task.” 

“So I slept the rest of yesterday and through the night to eleven o’clock today?” Kakashi clarified, rubbing his eyes. 

Everyone nodded.

“I see,” Kakashi sighed. “Ebisu, would you go release Fred and George? Their heads should be sticking out of the ground behind the greenhouses somewhere.”

Ebisu gave Tenzo a sidelong glance before departing. 

Kakashi looked around at them. “Good work everyone. Now I need to go see Dumbledore.”

Guy held up a hand. “Lunch first.”

Kakashi couldn’t help but notice he was famished. His stomach clenched painfully at the mention of food. He could have ignored it but Guy was insisting. Kakashi grudgingly agreed.

Kakashi, Guy, and Kurenai filed into the Great Hall for lunch. Harry noticed Kakashi approach the table and waved. Kakashi nodded back.

“Where’s he been?” Hermione asked.

“Don’t know,” Ron said. Then, “have you seen Fred and George?”

000000

After lunch, Kakashi appeared at the headmaster’s office. The ninja knocked and heard Dumbledore’s voice from within welcoming him. 

“You wanted to see me headmaster?” Kakashi said neutrally.

“Yes,” Dumbledore said, putting down the letter he’d been reading, “besides sending off your report, I see you have it there.” Kakashi held the scroll tightly in his fist. Guy had finished the report for him. “I wanted to talk to you about the final task.”

“With all due respect headmaster, I still have a few things to say about the second task,” Kakashi said evenly.

Dumbledore gestured for him to go on.

“I would ask that if you’re going to use my personnel for extra precautions you would inform me first,” Kakashi ground out. “I would also ask that if there’s a threat you’re aware of, that you inform me of it immediately. I cannot protect your students if I don’t know what I’m up against. You sent Kurenai out there without information or protection, why?”

Dumbledore spread his hands, “I don’t even know what we’re up against at this point Kakashi. I’m sorry, but I don’t.”

“Then what are we doing here?” Kakashi said, barely containing his anger.

Dumbledore sighed. “I’d rather not trouble you with this but since you’re insisting.” Dumbledore rose and began to pace. “Dark forces are rising in this country. I believe, and others do also, that what happened at the Quidditch World Cup was just the beginning, the birth pains if you will. Isolated attacks, disappearances, this is how it began the last time. Lord Voldemort is attempting to rise to power once more. It will mean war for the wizarding world.”

“We’re not strangers to war sir,” Kakashi said.

The headmaster sighed. “If you lived in this world you’d still be going to school. Ebisu would be the only one who was of fighting age. You’re all so young, especially little Tenzo.”

“Don’t let him hear you call him that,” Kakashi said. “He’s probably killed more people than you ever have.”

“Are you saying that the amount of people you’ve killed is the only way you judge people?”

“I’m saying we grow up fast. We can’t waste time tip-toeing around your feelings about our age. We have a job to do.”

“And I’m the one who hired you for it,” Dumbledore sighed, sat on his desk, and shook his head. He smiled, “sometimes I wish I could hire all of you and just keep you here where you’ll be safe.”

“The walls of Hogwarts are high but they can’t protect people from their past or their duty. Besides, as you say, war is coming. It is coming but we’re here now, where is the threat? What do you need us to do?”

Dumbledore looked at the ninja before him. He stood up from his desk and began to pace. “One: my students, and their parents for that matter, think they’re safe as long as they’re here at this school. Maintain that illusion.”

Kakashi nodded.

“Two: Voldemort and his supporters are growing bold. I fear they may be coming for Harry. This fear was strengthened when Harry’s name came out of the goblet. There are ways they can use him to make Voldemort stronger, both in a physical sense and a metaphorical sense. Keep him alive and among friends.”

Kakashi nodded again.

“Three: I hired Alastor Moody on for this year for a specific purpose, same as you, to keep an eye on certain people. He used to be an Auror. Igor Karkaroff used to be a Death Eater. However, Severus Snape also used to be a Death Eater but I trust him completely. Igor, however, will go wherever he feels safe, be it with Voldemort or simply fleeing. Keep an eye out, we don’t know where all of our enemies lie. Fear can drive people to do terrible things.”

“Or show their true colors.”

Dumbledore shrugged, not arguing.

“So we’re basically supposed to suspect everyone and protect the students at all costs?”

Dumbledore smiled, “I’m sorry but that’s the long and short of it.” The headmaster took a breath, “I’m sorry that I didn’t inform you of my use of Kurenai. You know the skills of your people and I should have left the decision up to you.”

Kakashi nodded. “I appreciate you saying that. Now that the initial danger is past, my only worry is that Rita Skeeter saw her.”

Dumbledore looked at Kakashi evenly. “Interesting that you mention Ms. Skeeter,” he said.

“Sir?”

“The letter I was just reading,” Dumbledore stepped around to the other side of his desk, holding up the letter in question, “is from the Daily Prophet.” 

Kakashi went rigid but said nothing.

“Rita Skeeter’s editor is inquiring if we have any information on her whereabouts. He believes that she is missing. She did not turn in her assigned piece on the second task and he says here that she’s never missed a deadline.”

“That is indeed odd,” Kakashi agreed.

Dumbledore stared at Kakashi over his half-moon spectacles before letting the matter drop.

After a moment Dumbledore said, “as far as the third task, you’ll be happy to know that the other judges have allowed me to tell you about it much sooner than before. It will be a maze filled with various creatures and tests that the champions will have to get past. You will not be allowed to assist them unless they shoot up red sparks or if they’re incapable of continuing.”

“Do you enjoy making our job difficult sir?” Kakashi asked.

Dumbledore continued as if he hadn’t heard the ninja. “At the center of the maze will be the Triwizard Tournament Cup. The first champion to touch the cup will receive the most points. The cup is designed to alert us if it’s been touched so we can collect the winner and the other champions for the awards ceremony. This will occur immediately afterward.”

“This is another competition nobody can actually see, isn’t it?”

Dumbledore looked confused. “Yes, it will be impossible to see what is going on inside of the maze from the stands, magically or otherwise.”

“Then why do people show up to watch?” Kakashi crossed his arms, gazing at the wizard.

Dumbledore looked at Kakashi like he’d never seen him before.

Kakashi sighed. “Never mind.” He held out his scroll for the Third Hokage. Dumbledore took the scroll and placed it inside of the shining metal tube on his desk. The instrument spun like a top, whirling and whistling and then it released a poof of smoke and fell to the desktop. Kakashi didn’t have to check to know that the silver cylinder was now empty, the scroll transported to his Hokage’s office.

“Is there anything else Kakashi?”

“No sir.”

“Then you may go.”


	22. Guy's Army

**Chapter 20: Guy’s Army**

The following weeks were taken up with classroom supervisions and training. Kakashi had informed his team of what Dumbledore had said. They all agreed that they had to be prepared for anything. Guy, Kurenai, Ebisu, and Tenzo also agreed amongst themselves that they needed to keep their captain busy so he wouldn’t get into another brooding slump. Their fears turned out to be unfounded however. Kakashi would still get up in the night sometimes but if he was woken up, by a nightmare or anything else, he made a genuine effort to go back to sleep. Thankfully their training would usually wipe them all out by the end of the day.

The other thing that took up their time the most was supervising Professor Moody’s classes on curses. One particular day, when “Mad-Eye” was teaching the fourth years to dodge unfriendly hexes, Ebisu had to stop himself several times from interfering. Ebisu himself was quick to dodge stray spells but some of the students were not so lucky. Harry left that lesson with a pair of quivering ears.

Since there was no quidditch practice to keep Harry busy in the spring, there was nothing to break up the endless piles of homework. Hermione managed everything well but Ron and Harry were falling behind worse than ever.

“Can you believe we have to do another set of predictions for Trelawney?” Ron said one evening in the Gryffindor common room. “I’m running out of bad things to write about. I’ve died six times already!”

Harry nodded in agreement but Hermione was looking out the window. “What are the Slytherins doing out on the lawn?”

Ron and Harry rushed over to the window, happy for an excuse to procrastinate. Outside in the evening light, they could see a few dozen students from Slytherin House standing spread out on the grass. Kakashi and Guy were out there with them. Suddenly, a red beam of sparks was blasted at Kakashi. He dodged the attack easily. Another beam headed his way and he flipped away from it, landing in a defensive stance.

“What are they doing?” Hermione asked, shocked.

“I don’t know but I’m not going to wait around to find out,” Harry said. He ran upstairs to the dormitory to grab his cloak. Ron was right behind him. Together and properly dressed for the evening chill, the three left Gryffindor Tower and headed down to the grounds.

“The Slytherins wouldn’t really attack one of the guards would they?” Hermione asked anxiously.

“I wouldn’t put anything past them,” Ron muttered.

“With Guy there?” Harry said. “I doubt it. They must be doing something else; I just want to know what it is. It almost looks like the dueling club we had second year.”

All three of them scowled, remembering different things about dueling club.

On their way down the stairs they ran into Cedric and Kurenai. Ron elbowed Harry and pointed at them, wiggling his eyebrows. Kurenai glared.

Hermione said, “Kurenai, do you know what Kakashi and Guy are doing on the lawn?”

The kunoichi pulled her glare away from the snickering boys and looked at Hermione neutrally. “Training probably. Guy is always challenging Kakashi to something.”

“With the Slytherins?” Harry pressed.

Kurenai’s eyebrows knitted. “That’s new.” She turned to Cedric, “I’m going with them to see what this is all about.”

“Well then I’m going with you, I’m just as curious,” Cedric replied. Ron snickered and tried to cover it with a cough. Hermione glared at him in Kurenai’s stead.

The group of five made their way down the main staircase and out of the Entrance Hall. Once outside, they made a beeline for the larger group. As they approached, a stray spell sporting red sparks zoomed toward them. Harry prepared to dodge but Ron and Hermione shrank back. Kurenai made no move to evade the spell, she just kept walking. Cedric pulled out his wand and blocked the spell in one smooth motion. They could hear Guy shouting in the distance.

When Kurenai’s group reached Guy’s, the green-clad ninja bounded over. “Sorry about that,” he said. “I have to keep reminding them that spells keep traveling if they’re dodged.”

“What exactly are you doing Guy?” Kurenai asked.

The ninja looked around at the three Gryffindors and single Hufflepuff and beamed. “We’re having a self-defense course.”

Harry squinted in confusion. “A what?”

“You all have Defense Against the Dark Arts classes but there are all kinds of other things you may need to defend against,” Guy said. “I got the idea when Professor Moody was doing his hex-dodging lesson. You all know defensive spells and offensive spells but if you lose your wands you’re hopeless.”

“Thanks Guy,” Cedric deadpanned.

Guy rolled on, “right now I’m proving a point. I challenged them to hit either Kakashi or myself with a spell even though we’re unarmed.” Just then a clone of Kakashi appeared, absorbing a spell that was meant for Guy and poofing out of existence.”

Guy whipped around. “Don’t think I didn’t see that Jason,” he hollered. “If I’d dodged that it would have hit the people I’m talking to and you know that. One lap around the lake!”

There was a loud groan and a black haired wizard peeled away from the group of Slytherins, beginning his long lap. “I still got Kakashi though,” the wizard called back defiantly. The ground underneath him suddenly heaved up, flipping the wizard onto his back. He landed with a loud “oof”.

Kakashi stepped over to him and loomed over the prone boy, arms crossed, “do I look stunned?”

The Slytherin muttered something that Kakashi ignored, got up, and began his run around the lake. 

Guy turned back to Kurenai’s group, grinning. “They’re a handful but I love them.”

Kurenai smiled. Harry, Ron, and Hermione just looked confused. Cedric smiled as well, “can we join your group Guy?”

Guy looked like Cedric had just told him it was his birthday. “Of course you can!”

Harry’s eyebrows went up past his hairline, Hermione’s eyebrows furrowed in concern, and Ron was frowning. But Guy was already shepherding them over to the Slytherins.

“Slytherins! Some students from other houses have observed our youth and seek to join us! This is Cedric, Hermione, Ron, and Harry. I believe you already know Kurenai.” Kurenai waved.

“We don’t want the filthy mudblood here,” Malfoy’s voice was heard and the Slytherins parted to let him through.

“That’s a lap Draco,” Guy bellowed. “I told you that I won’t tolerate you calling anyone by that word.”

“I’m sure they’ve called me worse,” Malfoy said darkly, glaring at the trio as he turned to begin his lap.

“You bet we have you little git,” Ron said angrily.

Guy turned around, “that’s a lap for you too Ronald.”

Ron gapped at him. “That’s not fair! He started it!”

“And retaliating makes it fair? Draco can’t call Hermione a name but you can call him names and it’s alright? That’ll be two laps if you continue to argue,” Guy said as Ron opened his mouth.

Malfoy snickered behind him. “That’ll be two laps for you too _Malfoy_ if you don’t get going,” Guy roared. The color drained from Draco’s face and he took off in Jason’s footsteps. Ron sullenly began running. “And if I see you two fighting during your lap I’ll throw you both in the lake!” 

Kakashi walked up, he nodded at Kurenai, she nodded in kind. “Guy, I think they’re getting sick of missing me,” the jonin said.

“Excellent,” Guy said brightly. “Kurenai you’ll assist us?”

She nodded.

“Alright, everyone spread out, we’re going to start throwing things at you,” Guy said brightly.

“What?!” a girl cried from the back but Guy misunderstood.

He bellowed, “we’re going to start throwing things at you!”

Kakashi called, “don’t worry, they’re just pillows!” He turned to Guy using his normal volume, “they’re just pillows right? Like we talked about?”

“Of course,” Guy said, rolling out a scroll and activating the seal. “The house elves were more than happy to-” Dozens of pillows burst into existence, almost bowling Guy over. Kurenai only just stifled a laugh.

Cedric held out a hand, gesturing Harry and Hermione to join him with the spreading Slytherins.

Guy disengaged himself from the pillow pile and stood up. He turned to the students, “now, you can block our attacks with your wands. If you don’t know the shield charm then you’ll either need to learn it from the more advanced students on the run or simply dodge the pillows the old fashioned way.

“When you’ve been hit, lay down on the ground. This will make it difficult for the more advanced students who stay up longer to move around. If we work together we’ll help each other progress faster. Remember: the object is to dodge, not run away,” he eyed some of the students inching toward the castle. “Cheating does not advance you anywhere, you’ll simply be hindering yourself further down the road. If you want to excel then you work hard. Everyone ready?” When over half of the Slytherins nodded, Guy cried, “begin!”

Each ninja bent to pick up a pillow. The students were remembering their dodging class with Professor Moody. They bent their legs and watched their attackers. Immediately there were cries of outrage from the back of the group. Clones had flanked the crowd and were already throwing pillows at the unsuspecting students from behind.

As the wizards and witches in front turned to look at the ones in the back, the ninja unleashed their barrage. Some turned back in time and dodged, some did not and were blindsided by the fluffy missiles.

Guy yelled, “your enemy may not be alone! Stay alert!” He threw another pillow spiraling into the thinning crowd.

Hermione was using the banishing charm to send the pillows flying away from her. Harry and several young Slytherins noticed this tactic and followed her example since this was a spell they’d actually learned in class. Harry couldn’t send the pillows anywhere specific but it didn’t matter for this exercise.

Cedric, being an older student, was using the shield charm to great effect and was actually creating a barricade of fallen pillows in front of him. However, the ninja had caught onto the ones using spells.

“I’ll go wide,” Kakashi said and Kurenai nodded. They both threw their pillows. Cedric blocked Kurenai’s but Kakashi’s arced in from the side, whacking the champion on the side of his head. He lay down sheepishly.

Eventually everyone was “out” and Guy called a restart. By now everyone who had been doing laps had returned. A couple of hurried charm lessons occurred amongst the groups of students and the barrage began anew. Malfoy’s strategy seemed to be to dodge behind other people. Kakashi made sure to send a second pillow at him after the boy’s first shield was removed to see what he’d do. The wizard dodged well enough but when he tried to use the banishing charm he lost focus and caught a pillow full in the face.

“If you get out,” Guy encouraged, “just focus on how you’ll do better next round!”

The students jumped up at each new round. Guy had to send several students running after he saw them grasping their fellow students and shoving them into a pillow headed for themselves. Eventually it got dark and Guy called it a night.

“Same time day after tomorrow, no wands!” Guy called.

There were several groans at this but most of them were drowned out by cheers or excited discussions.

“You’ve got to teach me the shield charm Frank, please?! I’m hopeless without it.”

“Maybe you should improve your banishing charm first. Then I’ll teach you.”

Harry, Ron, and Hermione trooped up to the castle together, Cedric following behind them.

“Did you see me dodge that last pillow?” Ron asked Harry.

Hermione smiled.

“What’s so funny,” the redhead demanded.

“It just sounds so funny,” Hermione said. “You’re all fired up about dodging a pillow.”

Ron grumbled but Harry laughed. “It’s good that we’re getting extra practice,” Harry said. “I would have never gotten summoning charms right if the task hadn’t pushed me to it.” 

Guy walked over to Kurenai and Kakashi, their clones poofed out of existence. “The spirit of youth was bright tonight. Did you see their enthusiasm?!” 

Kurenai smiled and nodded. “They might be half competent by the time we leave.”

Kakashi stared after the students, thinking about the war that was coming to their world. _How many of them would make it through?_

Every other day Guy held defense meetings on the Hogwarts grounds. Sometimes there were earthen walls scattered all over that the students used as cover to sneak around without being seen. Sometimes the students were paired off and tried to hex each other.

As Kakashi ran another student up to the hospital wing, the Slytherin girl in his arms had boils all over her right arm, he wondered at how Dumbledore had approved of this. _Same way he approved of Moody using curses on students. He must be even more worried about the war than I thought,_ Kakashi pondered.

As the weeks passed, students from other houses and even some Beauxbatons and Durmstrang students joined the meetings. Whenever possible, Guy would mix the students to get the witches and wizards out of their comfort zones.

When Draco complained about being paired with a Hufflepuff one day for sparring, Guy took him aside. The ninja knelt in front of the wizard; Draco followed his example and squatted. “Draco, look around you.” The Slytherin looked obediently. “What do you see?”

“A bunch of students,” Malfoy replied sourly. He was miffed that Guy thought he needed a pep talk.

“You’re right, but more importantly, they’re your allies.”

“No they’re not, the Slytherins are my allies, anyone else is just trying to hold us back,” Draco said, frowning at the collection of students.

“Like the Hufflepuff girl?” Guy asked, looking at Hannah. “She’s personally trying to hold you back by sparring with you?”

Malfoy grimaced, “no.”

“Am I trying to hold you back?”

“No!”

“Who then?”

Draco remained silent, frowning.

“It’s not Slytherin House against the world Draco,” Guy said. “It’s not even Hogwarts against the world because the Durmstrang and Beauxbatons students aren’t against you.”

Malfoy humphed.

Guy tried a different tack, “tell me Draco, who do you want to protect?”

Malfoy stared at him with large eyes. “What do you mean?”

“If something were to happen and there was a fight. Let’s say that here, in this field, we were attacked right now, doesn’t matter by who. Who would you want to protect?”

Malfoy thought about it and said, “the Slytherins and you.”

“Why?”

“Because they’re my friends and you are too. You protected me, all of us,” Malfoy mumbled out.

“You don’t think any of these people, besides the Slytherins or me, would protect you? What would Kurenai do? And Kakashi? You think they’d stand by?” Guy pointed up at the castle. “Do you think Professor Sprout, Professor Flitwick, or Madam Pomfrey would stand by if a Slytherin were in danger, just because of your house?”

Malfoy said nothing.

Harry walked by, sporting a limp. Guy continued in a whisper, “if you were bleeding on the ground do you think Harry would stroll on by?” 

Malfoy’s face hardened for a moment and then relaxed. “No.”

“Why do you lash out at people when they could help you,” Guy asked.

“Relying on other people makes you weak,” Malfoy recited.

“But you are weak,” Guy said, “and so am I, without friends. You can rely on your equals to help you without making them your crutch.” Guy pointed out his captain to the Slytherin. The silver-haired jonin weaved amongst the students, correcting stances and ducking under the occasional wandering spell. “Kakashi is one of the strongest people I know. That’s why he’s my rival. But he trusts me and everyone on our team to back him and each other up. He is strong by himself but together we are much stronger.”

Guy straightened up and Draco stood shakily. He’d been squatting for awhile and his legs weren’t used to it. Guy gestured at Hannah, “now go spar with your partner.”

Draco nodded and joined Hannah, giving her a hesitant smile.


	23. The Last Day

**Chapter 21: The Last Day**

At the closing of the month of May, Professor McGonagall held Harry back at the end of a Transfiguration lesson.

“Potter,” the professor said. “You and the other champions are to go down to the quidditch pitch at nine o’clock tonight. Mr. Bagman is going to explain the last task to you.” 

Later that night at the appointed time, Harry and Cedric left defensive practice early. The gathering had swelled to practically the entire population of Hogwarts and their absence went unnoticed for the most part. The two champions made their way to the quidditch field to be informed about the final task.

Kakashi hadn’t been at the practice that evening but Harry wasn’t surprised to see the guard with Mr. Bagman on the field when they arrived. The Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports was trying to engage Kakashi in conversation. Based on the wizard’s frown and nervous shifting in place, Harry could guess that he was only getting grunts and hums from the guard.

Cedric wasn’t looking at Kakashi or Mr. Bagman though. The Hufflepuff cried, “what have they done to it?”

The quidditch field was no longer smooth and flat but filled with knee-high hedges that twisted and turned deep into the arena. 

Mr. Bagman, however, seemed relieved when Cedric and Harry walked up and interrupted Cedric’s outrage. “Ah, here a little early I see, we’ll just wait for, ah, here’s Viktor.”

The Durmstrang Champion had been watching Guy’s defensive practices and followed Cedric and Harry when they’d left. The three wizards stepped over the hedges carefully, making their way toward Bagman and Kakashi.

In a minute Fleur also arrived and Ludo clapped his hands. “Wonderful, all here? Let’s get started.” It seemed rather lonely with just the four champions, the guard, and Bagman.

“Coming along nicely aren’t they?” Bagman commented as Fleur clambered over the last bush. “By the time Hagrid is done with them they’ll be about twenty feet high. I suppose you can guess what we’re making here?”

Cedric and Harry glanced around, trying to see past the destruction of the field they’d played quidditch on.

“Maze,” Viktor grunted.

“Precisely,” Ludo beamed. “The third task is very straight forward. The Triwizard Cup will be placed in the center of the maze and the first person to touch it will receive full marks. There will be obstacles, creatures and spells and such, which you each will have to get through. Those with the highest marks from the first two tasks will enter first,” he eyed Harry, then Cedric, “but it will all depend on the path you take and how quickly you get through each obstacle. Is everything clear?”

The champions nodded.

“Good.” The champions and guard were dismissed and scattered.

Kakashi followed Harry and Cedric out of the pitch and then back up to the castle. Defensive practice had ended moments before and there was quite a crowd.

Harry and Cedric, lost in their own thoughts about the upcoming task, didn’t discuss any strategy. It was a silent walk.

The next day at breakfast, Hermione received her morning edition of the Daily Prophet. “Anything new?” Kakashi asked Hermione as she opened it. She held the paper over a bit so he could read.

“Rita Skeeter is still missing,” Hermione replied, her eyes narrowed at the name.

“Maybe she’s gone undercover for a big story,” Ron said with his mouth full.

“And they’re broadcasting her absence in her own paper?” Hermione said. “Unlikely.”

Just then Kurenai walked over from the Hufflepuff table and stood next to Kakashi. “Any news,” she asked.

Kakashi shook his head. “I think you’re in the clear.”

Kurenai sighed and brushed some hair out of her face with her hand.

“It’s been weeks Kurenai, I think you can stop worrying about it,” Kakashi said seriously.

“Have you?” She countered, giving him a look.

Kakashi raised an eyebrow, “I’m the captain, worrying is my job.”

Kurenai snorted. 

“So Kurenai,” Ron said, attempting to change the subject, “how are you and Cedric?”

Kurenai froze and the visible part of Kakashi’s face became as still as his Hound mask. “Ow,” Ron exclaimed suddenly. Hermione had kicked him under the table. 

Kakashi turned and left the hall without a word. Kurenai walked back to the Hufflepuff table, sitting with a gaggle of girls.

Ron rubbed his ankle. “What was that for Hermione?”

“If Kurenai and Cedric are seeing each other-” Hermione began.

“If?” Harry said skeptically.

Hermione sent him a glare before continuing, “it’s none of our business anyway. But you should hardly throw it in Kakashi’s face. I mean, I don’t think they’re _supposed_ to be dating. You’ve seen the way they react when anyone talks about it.”

“But you and Ebisu-” Ron protested.

Hermione scoffed, “were never dating, not really.” The witch blushed, “we talked about it but we’re much better friends.”

“Kind of like you and Krum?” Ron asked sullenly.

The blush deepened, “that’s none of your business either.” Hermione attempted to brush her feelings aside and continued, “the point is, we’re from two different worlds. Where could the relationship really go?”

Harry looked up and saw Cedric gazing at Kurenai from across the Hufflepuff table, his gray eyes begging her to look up at him. Kurenai steadfastly looked at her plate. She didn’t even attempt to pick at the food.

000000

The day of the final task arrived at long last. It was a week before the end of term but the talk of tests taken and yet to be taken was pushed aside in favor of tournament discussion.

Harry got several owls from well-wishers. Each new card brought a smile to his face. He finally felt confident. _No matter what, the tournament will finally be over after tonight._ Between Guy’s defense sessions and Cedric and him practicing on their own, since they were the only two who wouldn’t have to take their final exams for school, Harry had done everything he possibly could to prepare.

When breakfast was almost finished, Professor McGonagall came over to the Gryffindor table. “Potter, the champions will be congregating in the chamber off the hall after breakfast.”

Harry checked his watch, “but isn’t the task tonight?”

“It is, but this is the time the champions have been given to greet their family members who’ve come to watch the tournament.” She gave him a knowing look, “family members, friends…and guardians.”

Harry stood up right there, excitement on his face. “Can I see him now?”

The witch barely contained a smile, “if you wish.” She looked up, “Kakashi will go with you.”

The jonin nodded, knowing that he’d have to head over to the chamber soon anyway if the guests had arrived. Harry hurried down the aisle as quickly as he could without causing a scene.

Inside the chamber stood Gabrielle, holding Fleur’s mother’s hand, Viktor’s mother and father, Cedric’s parents, and Sirius Black along with Molly and Bill Weasley. 

Kakashi closed the door behind them as Harry launched himself into his godfather’s arms. Bill and Mrs. Weasley patiently waited their turn.

Sirius laughed, “well I see you’re alive in any case.” He looked at the guard as Harry got a hug from Mrs. Weasley, “Kakashi, it’s good to see you again. How are you?”

Kakashi nodded in response, “very well thank you.” Kakashi turned to the Weasleys, “thank you very much for the fruit cake Mrs. Weasley. It was greatly appreciated by my team and me.”

“Oh it’s the least I could do,” the plump witch said, waving away his thanks. “I don’t believe you’ve met our eldest son, Bill?”

Bill shook Kakashi’s hand. “So you’re the infamous Kakashi,” Bill smiled.

“Not beyond your household I hope?” Kakashi replied, giving them an eye-smile.

Bill shook his shaggy head. “Ron talks about you all the time, not to mention Fred and George. Did you really kill a dementor?”

“Ah, those Gryffindors and their stories,” Kakashi replied wistfully.

Bill nodded, his grin widening, “and you’re as evasive as they said.”

Kakashi eye-smiled in response.

“How’s everything going?” Sirius asked Kakashi quietly when Harry was distracted by Mrs. Weasley and Bill.

“So far so good,” Kakashi replied in the same hushed tones. “It’s mostly just been scares but tonight is the night I’m really worried about.” At Sirius’s fierce look Kakashi added, “I’m not going to let anything happen to Harry.”

Sirius nodded and whispered, “I’ll be in the stands if you need me.” Then, “you be careful too. We wouldn’t want to lose you either.” Sirius smiled at his and Harry’s secret-keeper.

Kakashi nodded in response. “I appreciate your concern. You don’t have to worry.”

Suddenly Sirius walked back over to Harry. The young wizard had noticed his godfather and the guard talking and his brow was furrowed at them, his mouth set in a frown.

Kakashi retreated to a corner where he could observe the whole room. 

“Who’s that?” The blonde woman holding Gabrielle’s hand asked.

“The headmaster of the host school hired guards to protect the students and guests. There are four of them. This one is the captain,” Fleur responded. “Isn’t he fine mother?”

Kakashi tuned out that conversation before he had to hear what Fleur’s mother thought of his hair, figure, and height. He’d had enough of that over the course of the year. However Cedric’s conversation was far from reassuring. He was speaking to his parents, almost exclusively, about Kurenai. Kakashi mentally face-palmed, _what am I going to do about that, if anything? I might just make the situation worse._ He quickly turned his focus to Viktor. However, their conversation was similar to Fleur’s, only this one was in Bulgarian. 

“He doesn’t look like much to be a guard,” the hook-nosed man said to his son, eyeing Kakashi’s slight build. Most guards that were hired in the wizarding community were creatures that couldn’t use magic or used it very poorly. They were usually bulky with muscle, unintelligent, and not considered equals to the wizards that hired them. Kakashi didn’t fit the mold and Mr. and Mrs. Krum gazed at him in curiosity.

“He’s the guard _captain_ ,” Viktor corrected swiftly. “And they’re very capable. They’ve been giving self-defense lessons to any student who wants them. Their skills are quite impressive.”

“Are they wizards?” Viktor’s mother asked, eyeing Kakashi’s clothes and armor.

Viktor thought about his answer before responding, “I’ve never seen any of them use a wand but they can do things that I can’t explain. They’re stronger and faster than any of us but they can also do other things, like make doubles of themselves.”

Viktor’s father’s eyes widened and he looked away from his son and back at Kakashi. Kakashi continued to stare at the far wall, looking bored. 

The jonin noticed Fleur looking between Bill and himself and he mentally nodded his head in approval. _Maybe she’ll get her eye off of me,_ Kakashi thought, _that would be preferable._

After the meet and greet, the champions were allowed to show their families around Hogwarts. Each group was to be accompanied by a guard. When the other guards arrived, the parents were baffled by the variation of dress and appearance in the ninja.

Fleur’s mother chuckled and said to her daughters in French, “for some reason, I thought they’d all have silver hair. Is he very old dear?”

“He’s two years _younger_ than me mother,” Fleur exclaimed. “How old did you think he was?”

Fleur’s mother completely ignored her question. “He’s fifteen and the captain of the guard?! How old are the other guards?” She eyed Ebisu, who was obviously the oldest one among them but his youth still dissatisfied her.

Kakashi ignored the rest of the conversation. Guy would handle them. He smiled to himself under his mask as Guy gave the blonde trio a thumbs up.

Kakashi assigned each group a guard and, against his better judgment, allowed Kurenai to be Cedric’s family’s guard. Cedric was ecstatic but Kurenai gave Kakashi an expression that he couldn’t identify. _Fearful? Thankful? Sorrowful? Happy? Apologetic?_ He just wasn’t sure and he had known Kurenai for years.

Ebisu went with Viktor and his family. Guy went with Fleur, her mother, and sister. Kakashi followed Harry, Sirius, Molly, and Bill around. Tenzo was left with the school.

After the tour around the school with Molly, Sirius, and Bill discussing the various changes from when they’d attended Hogwarts, they all returned to the castle for lunch. Ron, Ginny, Fred, and George had the pleasure of seeing and eating with their mother and brother. After a lazy afternoon of guarding the champions’ families there was the evening feast.

There were more courses than usual but Harry didn’t eat much. Kakashi finished eating quickly and walked around to check on his team, including stepping into the Entrance Hall to speak with Tenzo.

“If anything is going to happen,” Kakashi said, “it’ll be tonight. Stay sharp and watch your back.”

“And you also senpai,” Tenzo said and vanished back into one of his various hiding places.

Returning to the hall, Kakashi saw Dumbledore stand. The Great Hall went quiet. “Ladies and gentlemen, the final task of the Triwizard Tournament is going to begin in five minutes. I would ask that you make your way down to the quidditch stadium. Champions, please follow Mr. Bagman down to the pitch now.”

Harry, Cedric, Fleur, and Viktor rose from their various tables to applause and cheers. Kakashi followed them out, taking one last glance around the hall, his eyes resting on each of his teammates. _I’ve got a bad feeling_ , he thought.


	24. The Third Task

**Chapter 22: The Third Task**

Kakashi followed Ludo Bagman and the four champions out to the quidditch field. It now contained a hedge that was almost twice as tall as Hagrid where there used to be smooth grass. There was a shadowy looking gap in the hedge in front of them that was the entrance to the labyrinth. Professors McGonagall, Flitwick, Moody, and Hagrid, approached them. They all had red stars on their hats except for Hagrid, who had a red star on the back of his vest.

Professor McGonagall addressed the champions. She had to raise her voice over the noise of the spectators that were still getting settled, “in addition to myself and the other professors, Kakashi and his team will be available in case you run into any trouble. If you wish to be rescued, simply send up red sparks and they will collect you.”

Kakashi gave them all a reassuring eye-smile. Viktor stared at the hedge, frowning. Fleur was looking straight ahead, her eyes focused. Harry kept switching his weight from one foot to the other until Cedric put a hand on his shoulder and told him to relax. 

“Alright then, here we go,” Bagman said cheerfully. He then turned to the murmuring crowd, pointed his wand at his throat, spoke his charm, and began commentating.

First Harry, then Cedric, Victor, and Fleur were released into the maze in turn, one whistle after another. The crowd cheered wildly. The third task had begun.

Kakashi circled the maze, his senses on alert. He’d stationed his team around the hedge and crowd, each managing their own patrol. As he greeted each of the teachers in turn on his second pass, he saw that Professor Moody was missing. Kakashi frowned and turned back to see Professor McGonagall again.

“Where’s Moody?” Kakashi asked the witch.

Professor McGonagall looked startled, “I don’t know. He must have seen red sparks.”

The two of them mounted the stairs to get into the stands for a better viewpoint. An extra set had been put in specifically for the tournament that went directly from the Quidditch field to the bottom row of the stands. As Kakashi reached the top, he hoped over the barrier and scanned the tops of the hedges. There were no sparks.

As McGonagall joined him Kakashi asked, “you said that the sparks would last awhile so we’d have plenty of time to find the champion. If nobody has called for help, where is Moody?” Kakashi’s bad feeling grew, entwining itself within his guts.

Professor McGonagall’s face looked tight. Her mouth was turned down in a deep frown. “I’m going to go see Professor Dumbledore-” she began to say, when Kakashi’s back stiffened. The wind blew and the leaves in the hedges rustled.

The jonin’s hand slowly reached up and lifted his headband to reveal his other eye. Professor McGonagall watched him intently. Whatever he saw made both eyes widen and then narrow.

“Something…odd is happening in the center of the maze,” Kakashi said slowly.

McGonagall frowned, “the only thing there is the cup, there shouldn’t be any disturbance.”

Kakashi nodded, agreeing. “The champions shouldn’t be there yet, it’s too soon, but I don’t know what else it could be. Let Dumbledore know, I’m going to check it out.” The witch headed to the far end of the stadium where the judges sat. Kakashi ran back down the stairs and began to covertly scale the hedge.

Ebisu came around the corner and saw him, his eyebrows furrowed.

Kakashi signaled an answer to Ebisu’s unasked question. He was “going to check something out, stay sharp”. Ebisu nodded and disappeared around the corner to tell Guy and Kurenai.

Once on top of the hedge, Kakashi blended with the shadows and snuck to the center of the maze. It wasn’t that difficult to hide. The task had started at dusk and it was now completely dark in the center of the stadium. There was no extra lighting and the wizards couldn’t see in the dark as well as Kakashi could. He was struck again by the absurdity of people coming to watch this competition.

Kakashi slid down the hedge into the clearing in the center, using chakra in his hands and feet to slow his descent. He scattered leaves and twigs as he went. Halfway down the wall of bushes Kakashi stopped to listen. There was someone else at the other end of the clearing; the Triwizard Cup sat between them. Kakashi was slowly removing a kunai from his pouch when a familiar flash of chakra made him relax. It was Tenzo. He was concealed in the far hedge, next to an entrance point.

Kakashi returned his attention to the cup which pulsed with magic. The jonin continued to descend when Harry came running out of a gap in the hedge to Kakashi’s far left. The wizard made a beeline for the cup. Kakashi began to call out when Cedric emerged from the opposite entrance, the one near Tenzo.

Something clicked in Kakashi’s head, a sudden suspicion followed immediately by a certainty that he was right. “Tenzo!” Kakashi yelled, “don’t let them touch the-” Kakashi cut himself off.

A huge spider scurried out of another gap in the hedge. It was heading straight for Cedric but the wizard didn’t see it. The Hufflepuff only had eyes for the cup in the center of the clearing.

Suddenly, sharp roots burst out of the earth, skewering the spider, its legs dangled helplessly above the ground. Cedric gave a quick look over his shoulder at the noise but didn’t stop running.

Arachnid managed, Tenzo burst from the hedge and sprinted to catch up with Cedric. Kakashi made to intercept Harry.

Harry slowed down the tiniest bit when he spotted Kakashi darting out of the darkness. However, Cedric wasn’t stopping and was, in fact, being chased by someone Harry had never seen before. _Maybe this is a part of the test?_ Harry thought as he lengthened his strides.

They all reached the cup at the same time and Kakashi was almost positive he knew what the cup was. It all happened in a moment. Harry reached out to touch the cup and Kakashi knew he wouldn’t make it in time to intercept. He put his hand out toward the cup too. If what he had been told about portkeys was correct, it would be like when Fawkes had brought him to this world.

As long as Kakashi made it in time and touched the object, he’d go along with it, and Harry. Once they were on the other side, he’d deal with the rest of this mess. One thing at a time. Only the speed of Kakashi’s Sharingan eye allowed him to see what Tenzo did.

Catching up to Cedric just in time, Tenzo slid his hand in between Cedric’s outstretched one and the Triwizard Cup. He grabbed the wizard’s fingers to force them away but Cedric’s forward momentum pushed Tenzo’s hand into the cup itself. Touching the cup simultaneously, Kakashi, Harry, and Tenzo disappeared in the blink of an eye.

Cedric stood alone for a moment, panting. There was a squealing screech coming from behind him. He turned around, brandishing his lit wand to see a giant spider stuck up on stakes of some sort. It wiggled its legs, struggling to get some purchase.

Cedric turned back and looked at where the Triwizard Cup had been. _There was supposed to be some sort of announcement when a champion won and the rest of us would be collected for the awards ceremony. Nobody said anything about the cup being a portkey,_ Cedric frowned and looked around. _Why was Kakashi here? And who was that other boy?_ Cedric’s frown deepened. _Something’s gone wrong._ Without a second thought, Cedric raised his wand arm and shot red sparks into the air.

Kurenai and Professor McGonagall were there in seconds. “Cedric,” McGonagall said, “what-?”

“The cup was a portkey! It was a trap for Harry!” Cedric gasped, putting two and two together. 

The head of Gryffindor House frowned. Kurenai’s expression darkened. “Where’s Kakashi? Ebisu said he was coming in here to check something out.”

“Kakashi and Harry, along with a boy I’ve never seen before, got taken somewhere. They must have all touched the cup at the same time. The boy was trying to keep me from touching it,” Cedric realized, even as he said it. The Hufflepuff turned to McGonagall, “I’m guessing the cup wasn’t supposed to be a portkey?”

The witch’s face was very pale as she shook her head. “We need to inform Professor Dumbledore at once.”

Kurenai rounded on her, red eyes flashing, “where are they?”

“Who was the boy?” Cedric asked.

“Tenzo, he’s the fifth member of our team. He’s been keeping out of sight,” Kurenai said dismissively. She turned back to the witch, calmer now. “Professor McGonagall,” Kurenai repeated. “Where are they?”

But Minerva was already striding away from them. When she reached the solid bush wall she flicked her wand and blasted a path through the hedge with a devastating-looking spell. Cedric and Kurenai followed in her wake. As if anticipating her arrival, the flaming bushes might have been a clue, Professor Dumbledore was already on the field to meet his Deputy Headmistress.

“The cup has been tampered with, it was turned into a portkey,” the witch said without preamble.

Dumbledore turned to the kunoichi, “Kurenai, please get the rest of your squad to gather the remaining champions.”

Kurenai made two clones and they ran off in opposite directions around the perimeter of the maze.

Dumbledore gestured for McGonagall to continue as Professor Karkaroff, Madame Maxine, Cornelius Fudge, and Ludo Bagman approached.

“According to Mr. Diggory,” McGonagall nodded at Cedric who was still standing there, shocked into silence, “Mr. Potter, Kakashi, and Tenzo all touched the portkey at the same time. They could be anywhere.”

“Dumbledore,” Karkaroff interrupted, enraged, “what’s this about removing the champions from the maze? What is going on?”

“It would appear, Professor Karkaroff, that one of our champions, Harry Potter, has been kidnapped and two of our guards were taken with him.” Dumbledore gave the Minister of Magic a knowing look which Fudge tried to ignore.

Madame Maxine covered her mouth with her hand, “kidnapped?! By whom? For what purpose?”

At this point Fleur and Viktor joined the group, escorted by Ebisu and Guy. The champions were greeted warmly by their headmasters. Ebisu and Guy spoke quietly with Kurenai. All three of their faces wore frowns. Ludo was slowly pointing his finger, first at Ebisu, second at Guy, then third at Kurenai. He was frowning in confusion, mouthing something silently to himself.

“Treachery,” Karkaroff pointed at the three ninja. “They know something! We’ve all seen their little ‘defense classes’ on the lawn-”

“Which,” Dumbledore said calmly, “your students could have joined at any time.”

“And some of us did,” Viktor spoke up. “There was no treachery there. Guy is a good-hearted person and likes to teach.” Viktor nodded at the ninja respectfully. Guy returned the gesture with a small smile.

Karkaroff seemed stunned into silence by Viktor’s speech but then Guy noticed that the headmaster was rubbing his arm. 

“Ludo,” Dumbledore requested, “please inform the crowd that an unexpected issue has come up and the task will be suspended until further notice.” He turned to the Minister of Magic, “Cornelius, could I have a word?” 

“Issue?” Ebisu whispered to himself. “Three people missing is an issue?”

“It’s just to calm people down so they don’t panic,” Kurenai said but she didn’t sound reassured.

“Good luck keeping Sirius from panicking,” Guy muttered, scanning the crowd for the wizard. “Harry’s obviously not with the other champions.”

Kurenai bit her lip and stared at the ground. “Where are they?”

00000

Meanwhile elsewhere, Kakashi, Tenzo, and Harry appeared on an unfamiliar stretch of lawn in the dark. Tenzo and Kakashi rolled into crouches upon landing but Harry fell flat on his back. Kakashi quickly gave Harry a hand up, scanning the area.

They appeared to be in an overgrown graveyard. The chain of mountains that surrounded Hogwarts was gone. To their right there was a large tree and beyond that the outline of a church. On their left was a hill with an old mansion perched on top of it.

Tenzo had his hand on the hilt of the sword on his back. Kakashi didn’t even know when he’d strapped it back on.

“Harry,” Kakashi said, releasing the wizard’s hand and pulling out a kunai, “do you know where we are?”

Harry shook his head but Kakashi wasn’t looking at him. “No,” the wizard said clearly. Harry pulled out his wand and said, “ _Lumos._ ” The area around them lit up. Names on several gravestones appeared in sharp relief. Harry read the name “Tom Riddle” on one headstone and took a step back. There was a sinking feeling in his stomach.

Kakashi looked back at the portkey, “any chance this thing will take us back?”

Harry didn’t answer and Tenzo moved to examine the cup when both ninja stiffened. Harry squinted, trying to see beyond the ring of light he’d created. Kakashi and Tenzo both stepped in front of Harry, putting themselves between him and the person they felt approaching.

They watched the figure move toward them slowly, unhurriedly, through the gravestones and into Harry’s ring of light. The figure appeared to be carrying something in his arms.

“Who are you?” Kakashi demanded, kunai raised in front of him.

The figure didn’t answer but stopped when he was about four paces away from the trio. Suddenly Harry fell to the ground, his hands on his head, crying out in agony. Kakashi looked back at him and then at the hooded figure again. Tenzo knelt next to Harry but there was nothing he could do. Harry’s eyes were squinted shut, his teeth clenched in pain.

Kakashi threw his kunai experimentally at the figure and the weapon lodged itself into the stranger’s side. A scream rang out and the person dropped the bundle at their own feet.

“Kill them,” a voice hissed. The words sounded like they came from the bundle.

“ _Avada Kedavra!_ ” The stranger’s voice, a woman’s voice, cried.

A green burst of light shot toward Kakashi. Tenzo and Harry were directly behind him. He didn’t dare dodge.

The jonin made his stance as wide as possible, shielding the two behind him. Chidori burst to life in Kakashi’s hand. _I’ve been wanting to try this,_ Kakashi thought as the green light came toward him. _I have to time it just-_ “Tenzo no!”

In a flash, Tenzo jumped in front of Kakashi, absorbing the spell and then exploding into a shower of splinters. The jonin threw up his arms in front of his head and neck to shield himself from the flying debris. Kakashi spared a glance behind him. Tenzo was still with Harry, kneeling on the ground. He’d used a wood-style clone to intercept the killing curse. 

Kakashi pulled out a kunai with a paper bomb attached but, from out of nowhere, a giant snake lunged at him, fangs bared. Kakashi ducked under the airborne snake. His hands flashed through the familiar hand signs and he shoved chidori up and into the belly of the snake that was now stretched out above him. The snake split in half, guts showering onto the grass. Blood oozed down Kakashi’s arm.

The bundle screamed as if suffering some sudden agony. Kakashi paid it no mind. He took aim and threw the kunai with a paper bomb attached to it at the pile of cloths with his other hand. As the three jumped away, the bomb exploded and there was a terrible, high-pitched scream. When the smoke cleared, the hooded figure was crawling around on the ground, hand clutching a wound in her side. Parts of her cloak were smoldering from the recent explosion.

“Master? Master? Where are you?!” The witch cried frantically. The trio could now see that the stranger was a “she” not a “he”. Her free hand stretched here and there across the ground, probing for the bundle.

Kakashi approached her cautiously, sending a hand signal to Tenzo. Tenzo put his hands together and the woman was almost instantly wrapped in wood bindings. She cried out in pain when her hand was wretched away from her wound. Her hood fell back and tears streamed from her eyes, streaking through dirt and blood.

“Bertha Jorkins,” Kakashi said, recognizing her face from the wizard newspapers.

Her head jerked up and she glared at Kakashi. “Finally realized I was missing did they? Finally thought to look for me did they? Those useless, conniving, arrogant-”

Kakashi ignored her rants, raising an eyebrow as he moved away to inspect what was left of the bundle.

“Never appreciated me, never saw me for my skill-” 

There was nothing among the cloth but bits of burnt scales. Kakashi looked around, stretching out his senses but he could feel no one else nearby.

“My lord was going to give me power. I was going to run the Ministry for him when he returned. Me, his most trusted-”

“Harry,” Kakashi said, turning to the wizard. Harry had been staring at the deranged ministry official. At Kakashi’s voice his eyes snapped to the guard. “If this portkey still works, we’ll all have to touch it together right?”

Harry nodded, his jaw slack.

Kakashi bent down and began to field dress Bertha’s wound, ignoring her ravings. He soon finished and Harry had had time to regain his composure a bit. “Alright Tenzo, let’s get out of here,” Kakashi said, standing once more.

The young ANBU maneuvered Bertha’s bindings so that they kept her hands behind her back. Kakashi picked up her wand and handed it to Harry. Then he picked up the witch and threw her over his shoulder. The only break in her rant so far had been her cry of pain when her wound was jostled.

The two ninja and Harry approached the cup. Bertha continued her commentary on the ministry and wizards in general as Kakashi knelt down, hand hovering over the cup. Harry and Tenzo did the same.

“On three?” Kakashi asked.

The other two nodded.

“One, two, three,” and in a swirl of leaves they were gone.


	25. Out of the Graveyard and Into the War

**Chapter 23: Out of the Graveyard and into the War**

“Well,” Kakashi said as they appeared on Hogwarts soil once again. “At least that worked.” Then his mismatched eyes narrowed.

The four of them arrived at the entrance of the maze rather than the center, much to Kakashi’s displeasure. He heard members of the crowd gasp and scream in alarm. The Hatake imagined how their group must look. He was covered in snake guts and Bertha’s blood. Said witch was also still draped over his shoulder. Harry’s face was as white as a sheet and the two ninja were holding him up between them. Tenzo was poised for a fight, his hand on the hilt of his sword again, looking this way and that at the witches and wizards gazing down on them.

“Harry,” a familiar voice called. Sirius rushed toward them, followed closely by a small crowd consisting of Dumbledore, Professor Karkaroff, Cornelius Fudge, Ludo Bagman, and Madame Maxine. Cedric, Viktor, and Fleur were swift to follow them. Kurenai, Guy, and Ebisu were faster however, and arrived before any of them. Guy helped Kakashi get Bertha off of his shoulder. Tenzo used his wood-style to anchor their prisoner’s bindings to the ground.

“Bertha?” Cornelius Fudge said in shock. Not everyone was eyeing the missing ministry official however.

Karkaroff’s eyes widened when he saw Tenzo and his hand went for his wand. The youngest ninja was concentrating on adjusting the witch’s bindings and didn’t see the threat. The headmaster flicked his wand and a red beam with sparks shot toward the wood-style user. 

Kakashi turned to Karkaroff, eyes wide. The jonin stepped into the spell without hesitation, glaring at the headmaster as he did so. The spell hit Kakashi square in the chest and the last Hatake collapsed to the ground.

In the blink of an eye everything swirled and changed like a kaleidoscope and then went completely still. Dumbledore held up his hands in a pacifying gesture, taking in the situation. Guy was eye to eye with Karkaroff, kunai to the wizard’s throat. Ebisu had several shuriken in his hand and was crouched protectively in front of Kakashi’s still body. Kurenai was behind Ebisu next to their captain, hands already checking him over. The wizards who weren’t shocked into immobility had their wands out. Sirius in particular had his pointed directly at Karkaroff’s chest, murder in his eyes.

Nobody moved at first but then Cedric slowly crouched down next to a tense Kurenai, his eyes were on Guy. “Here Kurenai, let me try,” the Hufflepuff whispered.

Kurenai was still struggling to find a pulse, fear flooded her. Never taking her eyes off of her friend, she shifted a millimeter to one side and Cedric took that as permission.

“ _Rennervate._ ” Nothing happened. Cedric’s eyebrows furrowed. He tried it again. Kakashi did not stir.

“Cedric that won’t work, he’s not even breathing,” Kurenai said shakily.

Guy’s eyes flashed dangerously. His kunai was still at the headmaster’s throat but the wizard couldn’t squirm away. Tenzo had snaked wood bindings around the man’s arms and legs. Karkaroff’s wand lay forgotten in the grass. Tenzo remained where he was, hands clasped, eyes murderous.

“What did you do?” Guy asked the headmaster, too calmly.

“Please, Cedric, let me,” Viktor stepped forward, glaring at his headmaster with a mixture of shock and disgust. The Durmstrang Champion turned to Kakashi and muttered something, waving his wand in a wide figure eight. Suddenly the jonin took a deep breath and his eyes flashed open.

Almost immediately Kakashi had rolled himself into a crouch next to Kurenai. The kunoichi released a breath she didn’t know she’d been holding and stood with him. Tenzo simply glared at Karkaroff from behind his four teammates, holding the jutsu steady. Kakashi took in the tense group and then simply said, “Guy.”

The green-clad ninja stepped back from the wizard and turned his head full away from the line of Kakashi’s gaze. The wizards and witches only had a second to wonder why this was.

Kakashi said, “Karkaroff,” to get his attention. The headmaster looked Kakashi dead in the face and Kakashi’s left eye flashed. The wizard went limp in Tenzo’s bindings. There was a collective gasp from the wizards.

“Now isn’t that easier?” Kakashi said tranquilly to Guy.

The group was silent until Cornelius Fudge sputtered. “What-?” He turned to look at everyone else, only half of the group seemed to be as surprised as the Minister of Magic. “What-? Who are these people?”

“The Hogwarts Guards Cornelius, remember? They were here last year,” Dumbledore said evenly.

“But they- But he-” the Minister of Magic was cut off.

“Where’s Professor Moody?” Kakashi asked Dumbledore.

Fudge sputtered again, “I am in charge here! I want these five detained for questioning. I want to know who they are and what they’re doing here.”

Sirius stiffened. Nobody moved to detain the ninja. Dumbledore said evenly, “Minister, you know what they’re doing here. I hired them to be here and they’re only doing their job.”

“By assaulting a ministry official?” Fudge gestured at the now-unconscious Bertha who was still bound on the ground.

“She attacked us!” Harry protested.

“Well that’s your story,” Fudge retorted.

“Are you calling my godson a liar?” Sirius asked icily. 

Fudge recoiled at Black’s voice. The Minister looked from one stone face to another. “I- I’m just trying to get to the bottom of this.”

A new youthful voice broke into the conversation, “the guards rescued a champion, Minister.”

Another voice chimed in, “maybe you should be arresting whoever kidnapped him in the first place.”

The already bloated group parted to reveal Fred, George, Bill, Ginny, and Molly Weasley, Draco Malfoy, Millicent Bulstrode, Luna Lovegood, Viktor’s parents, Fleur’s family, Cedric’s parents, and a dozen other students that Harry couldn’t put names to.

“What are you all doing here?” Fudge asked, flustered at the large audience. “We have this under control.”

Fred and George snorted together. Mrs. Weasley jabbed them in the back disapprovingly.

“As much as anything is under our control Minister,” Luna said breezily.

Draco pitched in. “If you arrest these guards,” the blonde gestured to the five ninja, “who’ve been keeping us safe all year. I can assure you,” he looked Fudge dead in the eye, “that my father will hear about this.”

The group went silent. Harry actually cracked a smile. After all, Fudge wasn’t Lucius Malfoy’s only friend in the Ministry and a Minister needed supporters. Still, for Draco to use his usual mantra on the Minister himself was pretty gutsy, or stupid.

Dumbledore spoke up, “it would seem that the more pressing issue is how and why Harry Potter was kidnapped and not where his rescuers come from.” The great wizard turned to Kakashi, “the man who has been impersonating Alastor Moody is being held by Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape and the real Professor Moody is being seen to by Madam Pomfrey.” Dumbledore turned back to Cornelius Fudge, “the imposter is in a tent over this way if you’ll be kind enough to follow me?”

“Impersonating?” Fudge turned and looked at Dumbledore. “Exactly what is going on here?!”

“That’s what we’re hoping to find out,” Kakashi said. “Because one of the students was just kidnapped and one of your employees, Minister, attacked us. Now that we have both her and the imposter who was planted in this school in custody, we should be able to get some answers.”

Fudge turned to Bagman for backup but the man’s jaw was hanging slack. “Bertha attacked you?” The former quidditch player turned to Harry, “are you alright?”

Harry nodded, “I’m fine.” His answer seemed to be aimed more at Sirius than in answer to Bagman’s question. Harry’s godfather was alternating between hovering over him and looking out for more danger. 

Just as Dumbledore had said, a tent had been erected at one end of the quidditch field. Inside the tent Professors McGonagall and Snape waited for them. Snape was holding a glass vial filled with clear liquid. It soon became obvious that the entire group wouldn’t fit inside of the small tent and that Dumbledore was too polite to ask anyone to leave. Kakashi took charge and ordered everyone out except for the judges, the champions, Snape, McGonagall, Tenzo, himself, the imposter-Moody, and Bertha Jorkins, whom Kakashi had carried in. Ebisu, Guy, and Kurenai gave Kakashi worried looks.

“Take care of the crowd,” Kakashi said in a business-like tone. “They must be getting restless by now.”

His three teammates stayed where they were, watching him.

Kakashi’s expression softened the tiniest bit. “I’m fine,” he reassured them. Then he glanced back into the tent and said, “get Sirius out of here before you go though. He needs to wait with the other parents.” 

At the risk of looking undignified, Sirius dug in his feet against Ebisu’s arm-pulling. Harry was beginning to look embarrassed when Guy simply picked Sirius up and walked out of the tent with him over his shoulder. Sirius grumbled something under his breath.

Even with the minimum amount of people, the tent was still bursting. Tenzo used his wood bindings to hold the prisoners up in turn as Snape poured three drops of Veritaserum into each of their mouths. When the “Dark Lord’s most trusted followers” began spilling their guts, Kakashi decided never to drink something that had been anywhere near Professor Snape. 

Between the two testimonies, a picture was painted. Bertha Jorkins had found out about Barty Crouch Jr. being kept alive at home. Mr. Crouch had used a powerful memory charm on her to make her forget about it and then she went on her trip to Albania. However, the spell had worked too well and had obliterated most of her memories. Alone and friendless, Voldemort seized this opportunity to prey on her weak mind. He “freed” her mind but also molded it to his use. What Bertha couldn’t remember, Voldemort invented and what she did he manipulated. From her, Voldemort found out about the Triwizard Tournament and young Bartemius being kept from his master. 

With Bertha’s assistance, Voldemort freed Barty from his house-arrest and they put Mr. Crouch under the Imperius Curse. They kept him going to work so as not to arouse suspicion since they needed him to insist that Harry continue to compete in the tournament. Who was going to go against by-the-book Crouch?

Meanwhile, Barty would go to Hogwarts disguised as Professor Moody, insuring that Harry got to the cup in the center of the maze first and touched the portkey. Once Harry was in the graveyard, Bertha was to resurrect Voldemort with a potion that required Harry’s blood, her flesh, and Tom Riddle Sr.’s bones.

“He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has attempted to return?” Fudge asked, his voice fluttered a bit. “Tonight?”

“It is just as I have been warning you Cornelius,” Dumbledore said gently.

“Well we’ve got to do something,” Fudge exclaimed, waving his hands. 

“No kidding,” Kakashi deadpanned. 

Suddenly Tenzo slammed his hands together again. Wooden beams shot out of the ground behind the main group. Everyone turned to see Bagman caught in the act of slipping out of the tent. The wooden beams were twined around his legs, holding him in place.

“Where are you going?” Kakashi asked.

Bagman started muttering something about debt and goblins. He hung his head.

Meanwhile, Dumbledore and Fudge were having a hurried discussion in a corner of the tent. Fudge stuck his head outside and called Amos Diggory over. He gave him some hurried instructions and the other wizard, after giving his son a half-hug, began to run up to the castle. Meanwhile, Fudge sent off a patronus.

The Minister of Magic looked at Dumbledore and sighed. He looked like he’d aged since they all had stepped into that tent. “I’d better go make a statement,” he twirled his bowler hat nervously. He stepped out of the tent and they heard his magically enhanced voice booming throughout the stadium. Madame Maxine and Dumbledore stepped out of the tent as well. 

Madam Pomfrey bustled in, checking on Bertha Jorkins who had finally quieted down. “Another Kakashi patch job I see,” the witch said not unkindly, removing Kakashi’s field dressing. She began healing the bound witch. “Is anyone else hurt?”

Kakashi looked at Tenzo but the young ninja shook his head. His hands were still pressed together in case one of his charges attempted to flee. Kakashi turned to his other side, “Harry?” Kakashi’s voice seemed to have given Harry a jolt. The daydreaming wizard looked up at the guard. “Are you hurt?”

Harry shook his head, “I think Cedric got singed earlier though.”

Cedric waved off both of their looks. “I’m fine.” But Madam Pomfrey was on him already, wrapping the burn he’d received from the Blast-Ended Skrewt in the maze.

Once everyone was patched up and with Tenzo keeping guard, Kakashi ushered the champions out to their worried parents. Sirius gave Kakashi a very fierce look but it softened when he saw Harry. Fleur and her mother began speaking very fast in French and Kakashi ignored their conversation immediately. After a word with his parents, Krum approached Kakashi.

“Can I have a word,” the Durmstrang Champion asked.

Kakashi nodded and stepped off to the side with Viktor.

“I just wanted to apologize,” Viktor said. “Professor Karkaroff-”

Kakashi shook his head, “that wasn’t your fault. And I’d do the same thing again. Keeping Tenzo hidden was my decision and I anticipated such an overreaction if he had to suddenly come out of hiding. It was the best option I had at the time.”

Viktor smiled a bit, “you seem to be quite used to being attacked.”

Kakashi shrugged, “occupational hazard. Are _you_ alright?”

“I am fine. But we’re all in trouble if _he_ comes to power again,” Viktor said seriously. “The terror _he_ spreads will not be isolated to this country.” 

Dumbledore stuck his head around the corner. “Kakashi.”

Kakashi and Viktor nodded to each other and parted. “Sir?”

“Some members of Magical Law Enforcement are on their way to collect the prisoners,” Dumbledore responded. “I suggest that you and your team lay low after you hand them over.”

Kakashi nodded, flashing his chakra to get Ebisu, Kurenai, and Guy’s attention. He stood outside, signing them their instructions to stay hidden. He was relieved to see Guy immediately duck into the stands. The captain had never seen Ebisu or Kurenai in the first place. He imagined they must be disguised already.

Wizards and ninja alike worked into the early hours of the morning. After Bagman, Karkaroff, Crouch, and Jorkins were collected by the different government agencies, the ninja ushered the remaining students and spectators into the Great Hall for some late-night snacks along with some explanations.

The Triwizard Tournament was almost completely forgotten, a distant dream. Fudge attempted to give Harry and Cedric the monetary winnings at one point during the evening. They both tried to refuse it but Fudge clearly didn’t want to deal with it anymore. He had more pressing problems.

The two wizards looked at each other. “I can think of some people who could use some money. Ludo Bagman took their life savings for a bet and it was never returned,” Harry said. Fudge suddenly looked uncomfortable. He handed the galleons over to Harry and hastened away.

“You can have your half Cedric,” Harry said quickly after Fudge had gone. 

“Who were you talking about?” Cedric asked.

“Fred and George Weasley bet Ludo Bagman that Ireland would win the World Cup but that Krum would catch the snitch,” Harry replied.

Cedric’s eyebrows rose. “No kidding? That’s incredible.”

“Yep, they bet their life savings on it,” Harry said nodding.

“And Bagman didn’t pay out?” Cedric asked.

Harry shook his head.

Cedric whistled. “What were they gambling for in the first place?”

“You know how they’re always inventing those candies that make you sick and those clusters that turn your friends into canaries?”

Cedric nodded. “We, meaning the other prefects and I, ran into quite a few of them during the year.”

“Well I think they plan on opening their own joke shop,” Harry said.

Cedric’s eyes widened. “In that case, give them my half too. Those two are scary brilliant. Tell them it’s an investment.” Cedric hefted the bag before handing it back to Harry. Harry ran upstairs to put the winnings in his trunk to give to the twins later. 

Cornelius Fudge was at the head table now, answering questions and sending off owls. Dumbledore had a constant stream of them flying in from the owlery. Meanwhile the two remaining headmasters were sending their own letters to old friends and contacts. Sirius had already left to reconnect with some of the old members of the Order of the Phoenix.

“So this is how war begins?” Harry asked Kakashi when he returned to the hall, looking at the flurry of activity.

Kakashi smiled under his mask. “No, this is logistics. War began when Voldemort made his presence known and tried to regenerate.”

“You’re going to stay and help us right?” Harry asked hopefully, watching the guard. 

Kakashi closed his visible eye. “That’s not how it works Harry, I’m sorry.”

“Why not?!” Harry protested. His outburst caught the attention of a few people nearby. They turned to look at the pair. Kakashi waved at them lazily.

The captain of the guard waited for the witches and wizards to turn away before responding. “Harry, if my home were to be attacked and we got involved in a war, would you and a handful of wizards rush to our aid?”

Harry opened his mouth and then closed it again. “But we’re so busy here,” he trailed off guiltily.

“Exactly,” Kakashi said. “We are here on a mission for which we’re being compensated. A war is not a mission, it is all encompassing. We would be here for years. What if our home was attacked when we were here and we had to leave you when you’d been relying on us? It just wouldn’t work.” Kakashi was watching Cedric and Kurenai as he spoke. They were comforting some of the younger Hufflepuffs. He sighed.

Harry looked at him. “Kakashi, when did you first go to war?”

Kakashi’s eye crinkled in a smile. “Think you’re going to get answers out of me _now_ since we’re having this sentimental conversation?”

Harry frowned in disappointment, staring at his pumpkin juice.

After a long silence Kakashi said, “when I was very young.” 

Harry turned to look at him, unsure if he’d heard him or not. Kakashi did not move or respond to Harry’s inquiring glance.


	26. The End

**Chapter 24: The End**

The last week of term seemed, to Harry, to pass in a blur with one day merging into the next. The students tried to go about their final days as usual but there was just too much going on. The young wizards and witches were constantly getting owls from their parents, checking in. Wizards from all over were being escorted to and from Dumbledore’s office at all hours either by a member of Kakashi’s team or a teacher. Some of the students even left school early to be with their families. Harry was, once more, relieved to be going back to Grimmauld Place rather than Privet Drive. He couldn’t imagine going from this, having news and constant activity, to a world where people didn’t even know what magic was, much less that a war was starting.

A barn owl flew down to Harry one day during lunch with a letter from Sirius.

“What’s it say Harry?” Ron asked from across the table. Hermione looked up from her Daily Prophet.

“This barn owl is ours! Sirius’s and mine!” Harry exclaimed, giving the heart faced owl a more affectionate scratch while holding the letter in his other hand. “Sirius says he can’t keep using Hedwig all the time since she’s mine. His name is Mars.”

“Pleased to meet you Mars,” Hermione greeted, scratching the pale feathers.

“Hedwig has been wanting some company,” Harry said as Mars nibbled Harry’s hand affectionately. Harry scribbled a reply ending with, “see you in two days” and sent Mars back on his way.

The next day was the end of term feast and everyone began saying their goodbyes. Dozens of witches and wizards milled around the Great Hall, most of them hugging and shaking hands with the Beauxbatons and Durmstrang students that they’d befriended that year. Viktor and Hermione agreed to become pen pals.

Some of the Slytherins looked grim at the prospect of returning home for the summer. Guy tried to be encouraging but he knew what some of them would face. He shook his head sadly; it would be crushing for their youth.

“Any chance we’ll be hired for another year?” Guy asked Kakashi that evening as they prepared for sleep. 

Kakashi shook his head, “it’s unlikely. We made a bit of a spectacle of ourselves this year. The war is distracting them for now, but when things get to be more settled and organized, somebody is going to be asking questions. Dumbledore and, surprisingly, Fudge are being helpful about hiding us but they can’t do it forever. It would probably be best if we never returned.” Kakashi saw Kurenai, turned away from him, out of the corner of his eye. Her shoulders shook slightly.

Ebisu stood up and put his hand on Kurenai’s shoulder but she went completely still under his touch. He sat down next to her and said something in her ear. She reached up and squeezed his hand with hers. Then she stood up, “I’m going for a run.”

The boys nodded, waved, or acknowledged in some way that they’d heard. She opened the door, stepped out, and headed down to the grounds to run Kakashi and Guy’s usual route.

When she’d gone, Kakashi put an elbow to his knee and cradled his face in one hand. “It’s not your fault you know,” Ebisu said.

Kakashi looked at him through splayed fingers. “It was bad enough with you and Hermione.”

Ebisu sputtered, blushing. “I…we…were…are friends!”

“Right,” Tenzo said, raising an eyebrow.

“What do you know you weren’t even here,” Ebisu snapped.

“My father used to tell me,” Guy began. “That comparing relationships is like comparing apples to oranges. They’re both fruit but that’s usually where the similarities end. This is a completely different situation than yours Ebisu and will turn out differently.”

Kakashi stood up without another word and left Leaf Tower. Guy watched him leave with a concerned expression on his face.

“I hope they go running on different paths,” Ebisu said after the door had closed.

Kakashi found Kurenai on her second lap around the lake. He waved and she slowed to a stop when she got to him. She was panting and had streaks on her cheeks that shone in the moonlight.

“Captain?” She said, catching her breath. The cool night air played in her hair.

Kakashi said nothing, but began to walk around the lake. She followed him.

“Is everything okay?” Kurenai asked, her voice a little too high.

Kakashi still said nothing and continued to walk.

“Look Kakashi, if this is about Cedric and me then I’ll just tell you that it won’t be a problem.” Kurenai said.

Still, Kakashi said nothing.

“We’ll just say goodbye tomorrow and that will be it,” Kurenai went on, filling the unbearable silence.

Kakashi, hands in pockets, continued to circle the lake with the kunoichi.

“I just don’t know how this happened,” Kurenai babbled. “I knew this couldn’t go anywhere. I knew it the whole time, so did he!”

Kakashi looked up at the stars.

“We even talked about how impossible it was. We won’t be coming back, he can’t visit, this is it. The end.” 

Kakashi kept walking, waiting.

“It just hurts,” Kurenai said, her voice breaking a little.

Kakashi stopped and looked at her. “You can always remember him. But you must move on; he needs to as well.”

Kurenai nodded, staring at the ground.

“I’m going to head back up to the castle now,” Kakashi said. “If you aren’t back by your patrol shift, I’ll come looking for you.”

Kurenai nodded again, still gazing at the ground. They both knew she wouldn’t run away. Kakashi was more worried that she’d stay out all night and make herself sick. He knew too well how to get lost in loss.

As Kakashi walked back to the castle, the stars winked at him. He glared up at the unfamiliar stars and their constellations.

000000

The next morning saw the witches and wizards eating a hasty breakfast. Some of them zipped back up to their dormitories to do last minute packing. Others lingered in the Great Hall, talking to friends about summer plans.

Ebisu, Hermione, and Viktor were having a conversation in one corner. Guy hugged Slytherin after Slytherin, trying not to cry.

Tenzo moved freely among the students now but since none of them really knew him, he was left to his own devices. That is, until Fred and George walked up.

“So, Tenzo right?” George asked, sidling up to the wood style user.

Tenzo stopped, turned to him, and nodded.

“You and Kakashi are pretty close aren’t you?” Fred asked.

Tenzo frowned at him, confused.

George gave Fred a look and said, “he means that you’ve been through a lot together. You probably know a lot about him right?”

“No,” Tenzo said.

Fred and George looked at him. “No to which question?” The twins asked together.

Tenzo smiled, “he’s taught me a few things though.”

“Like?” Fred asked.

Tenzo didn’t answer, just continued to smile at them. His wide eyes made him look innocent and young but the sharpness of the orbs made the twins think twice.

George let out a sigh of frustration. “Look, just tell us. We want to know what his face looks like under that mask.”

“You and everyone else,” Tenzo said, still grinning.

“So you’ll tell us?” Fred asked. The twins looked at the young ANBU eagerly.

Tenzo suddenly dropped the smile. His wide eyes seemed to grow wider, his whole face turned ghostly. Fred and George took a step back, terrified.

“Um,” Fred said. “Never mind, everyone’s entitled to their secrets right George?”

George nodded, “right, just one of those mysteries of the universe.” Unable to tear his eyes away from Tenzo’s small face, Fred grabbed George by the arm and the two scurried away.

000000 

Kakashi kept watch over the entire Great Hall but found his eye constantly drifted over to the Hufflepuff table. Cedric was bidding his friends farewell. It was his last year after all and he wouldn’t be back either. Kurenai watched him, her face a stiff mask.

Breakfast seemed to be over too soon and the ninja, once again, accompanied the students down to the gates. Tenzo simply waved to the student body in general. Ebisu smiled, waving goodbye to the students he’d gotten to know over the past two school years.

Kurenai’s wave seemed to be stuck. She stood as if frozen, her one arm in the air. Her arm trembled a bit. Cedric turned back and looked at her, a sad smile on his face. Her mask cracked a little as a corner of her mouth turned up a tad. Her eyes filled with tears and she looked away. 

Guy called encouragements to his Slytherins as they walked down the path to the village where the train waited for them. Kakashi waved to Harry, Ron, and Hermione as before, along with the other students he’d gotten to know during Guy’s defense meetings.

“You were good for them Guy,” Kakashi said, watching the Slytherins depart. “Maybe when you make jonin you could be a sensei.”

Guy turned to his rival, grinning, “do you really think so?”

Kakashi smiled under his mask. “I don’t see why not. They get all the suckers to be teachers,” he teased.

Eventually the last of the straggling students disappeared around the bend and the ninja headed back up to the castle in silence.

Kakashi looked up at the stone structure as they approached it. _It really is a nice place,_ he thought, _even though it’s absurd._

Up in Dumbledore’s circular office, the five ninja had assembled with their gear. Dumbledore motioned Kurenai over to his desk and said something to her that Kakashi couldn’t hear. A small smile appeared on her face but she shook her head firmly. Dumbledore nodded and turned to the rest of them.

“Everyone ready?” Dumbledore asked.

They all nodded and Fawkes flew to Dumbledore’s shoulder. Ebisu, Kurenai, and Guy grasped one of Fawkes’s legs and disappeared with Dumbledore, leaving Kakashi and Tenzo alone in the office.

“So what did you think of your year at Hogwarts?” Kakashi asked his fellow ANBU.

Tenzo’s face scrunched in thought. Slowly he said, “it was interesting.”

Kakashi eye-smiled at him. “I thought you might say something like that.”

Dumbledore and Fawkes returned with a poof. Kakashi and Tenzo stepped forward and each grasped a leg. Tenzo didn’t have to reach up nearly as high as he had when they’d first come to the school. He’d grown, they all had.

Kakashi took one last look at the wizarding world and then they were gone.

The End


	27. Lost Chapter Number 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter will explain itself.

**Lost Chapter Number Three**

“Kakashi circled the maze, greeting each of the teachers in turn, except for Professor Moody. Kakashi frowned and turned back to see Professor McGonagall again.

‘Where’s Moody?’ Kakashi asked the witch.

Professor McGonagall looked startled, ‘I don’t know. He must have seen red sparks.’ The two of them mounted the stairs to get into the stands. As Kakashi reached the top, he hopped over the barrier and scanned the tops of the hedges. There were no sparks. As McGonagall joined him he asked, ‘you said the sparks would last awhile so we’d have plenty of time to find the champion. If nobody has called for help, where is Moody?’ Kakashi’s bad feeling grew, entwining itself with his guts.

Professor McGonagall’s face looked tight. Her mouth was turned down in a deep frown. ‘I’m going to go see Professor Dumbledore-‘ she began to say, when Kakashi’s back stiffened. The wind blew and the leaves in the hedges rustled.

The elite’s hand reached up and slowly lifted his headband to reveal his left eye. Professor McGonagall was watching him intently. Whatever he saw made both eyes widen and then narrow. The witch had been watching him on pins and needles so when he shouted, she was extremely startled.

‘TENZO!’

Kakashi bolted down the staircase, heart racing. He roared, ‘Tenzo take the hedge down now!’ 

Tenzo appeared instantly, hands together, face set. The ground rumbled and many of the witches and wizards in the stands screamed. To their amazement, the hedge began to slowly recede into the ground. Kakashi waited only seconds for his team to arrive from their various positions around the stadium.

Kakashi was surprised to feel Professor McGonagall’s presence behind him. He turned to her and said, ‘protect Tenzo.’ To the rest of his squad he called, ‘retrieve the champions. Professor Moody is not to be trusted.’ He bolted at the hedge and began running up it even as it made its laborious descent.

When he cleared the top he yelled, ‘Harry where are you?!’

Kurenai was right behind him, a kunai already out. ‘Cedric!’ She screamed at the top of her voice. ‘Show yourself!’

Yellow sparks immediately shot above the top of the descending hedge at one o’clock. Kurenai bolted for them, hopping over gaps in the hedge. She got to the correct aisle and slid down the hedge, using chakra in her fingers to slow her descent just enough so she wouldn’t break her legs. Leaves fell away as she shot down and landed in a crouch next to the Hufflepuff champion. She’d never seen Cedric look more surprised.

‘Kurenai, what-?’

‘We’re under attack, come on.’ Without waiting for an answer, she grabbed Cedric’s arm and threw it around her shoulders. With the young wizard clumsily draped across her back, Kurenai jumped straight up, pushing off with one foot on one side of the hedge, then the other on the other side.

Once she’d cleared the top, which was only the height of one Hagrid now, Kurenai raced across the tops. Cedric bounced uncomfortably on her back, letting out an occasional ‘ow’.

Meanwhile, after thinking for a second, Kakashi called out, ‘Harry, this is not a part of the task. Show me where you are, now!’

Green sparks immediately blossomed above the top of the maze a ways away directly in front of him. Kakashi ran forward, sliding down the hedge wall to Harry’s scared, upturned face.

‘What’s going on?’ was the first thing that burst out of Harry’s mouth.

Kakashi threw the Gryffindor on his back as he said, ‘Tenzo’s taking down the hedge. There are wizards at the center of this maze.’ He gave one great vertical leap and landed on top of the hedge. ‘And they won’t receive any cover from us.’

‘What’s a tenzo?’ Harry asked as Kakashi leapt over a large gap between hedges.

‘He’s the member of our team this year that nobody knew about,’ Kakashi said sharply as he stumbled over a place in the hedge that withdrew right as his foot landed on it.

Kakashi looked over and saw Ebisu returning to the edge of the maze with Fleur in his arms. His face was set.

As they deposited their champions in the emptying stands, Kakashi said, ‘where’s Guy?’

A blonde wizard in the stands stopped and turned back to listen. Ebisu wiped his brow, ‘getting Krum last I saw him.’

Kakashi growled and simply jumped to the field from the stands. He softened his landing a bit but wasn’t too worried about a little pain in his knees and ankles. He approached McGonagall and Tenzo with speed the witch didn’t know he had.

‘How are you holding up Tenzo?’

The young ANBU just nodded, sweat running down at his temples.

‘Kakashi what is going on?’ Professor McGonagall demanded.

‘There are wizards at the center of that maze,’ Kakashi explained.

The witch’s eyes grew large. ‘How can that be? They aren’t a part of the staff and we didn’t see anyone else enter the maze.’

‘It doesn’t matter how they got there, what matters now is how we’re going to deal with them. We’ve got hundreds of civilians to evacuate and an unknown amount of enemies heading toward us,’ Kakashi said. ‘Get your teachers to evacuate the students and visitors, set up a perimeter. We’ll handle this.’ The witch hurried away from her post next to Tenzo.

Kakashi just then noticed that Harry and Fleur had followed them down to the field. ‘What are you two doing, get out of here!’

‘We can fight,’ Fleur said, jutting her chin out angrily. Harry nodded, his wand out.

‘No, you want to help, and those aren’t the same thing,’ Kakashi countered. ‘Leave now.’ He scanned around for Guy again. ‘Where is he?’

As if in answer, Guy and Viktor stumbled out of the entrance to the maze. Viktor had blood running down the side of his head and his arm on the same side had a large cut on it. Guy’s right sleeve looked singed and a pant leg was torn. Ebisu and Kakashi rushed over. Ebisu grabbed Viktor and Kakashi, Guy. Fleur put her hand to her mouth and grasped Harry’s shoulder to hold him back.

‘What happened,’ the captain demanded.

‘Skrewt,’ Guy explained. ‘Then a wizard came around the corner and tried to set us all on fire.’ Guy grinned, ‘he didn’t even get the Skrewt.’

‘Wonderful,’ Kakashi deadpanned. Kurenai jumped down to join them and began to feed Tenzo some of her chakra before Kakashi could even ask. The young ANBU was panting, his arms shook. The hedge was almost low enough to be Kakashi’s height. ‘Get ready,’ the jonin said. Guy was at his side, shielding Viktor. As soon as the shrubs were at eye level, spells sporting red sparks began shooting toward them from over the top. Everyone ducked as the spells zoomed overhead, slamming into the structure of the stadium. A hooded wizard climbed on top of one of the hedges. Ebisu let fly a handful of shuriken, they landed in the unguarded man’s chest and he fell back.

Another wizard climbed up on top of a hedge and pointed his wand at the group. Kakashi prepared to make a substitute as a flurry of red sparks headed toward him and Guy when a young voice yelled, ‘ _Protego_ ’.

The stunning spell reverberated off of the shield charm in a flash of sparks. Kakashi whipped around to see Draco Malfoy standing behind Guy and himself. The boy’s pale face was set, his eyes scanning ahead of him.

‘Draco you need to leave,’ Guy said, ‘now.’

Draco shook his head and said, ‘we’re not going anywhere.’ The Slytherin stood next to Harry, Fleur, and Viktor. Fred, George, and Cedric walked up to join them. Kakashi’s discomfort increased as his eyes traveled up into the stands. There were more students, Slytherins mostly but also students from Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, Gryffindor, Beauxbatons, and Durmstrang. A lone spell from the maze shot toward the group in the stands but it was met with a dozen shield charms.

Kakashi’s worried eyes turned to Guy but his teammate just smiled at him. ‘Hogwarts United,’ Guy declared.

‘What? They had to do it now?!’ Kakashi exclaimed, losing his cool.

Just then, Sirius came running up, ‘what’s happening?’

‘Mutiny apparently,’ Kakashi said, glaring at the students above him.

‘I meant down here,’ Sirius said.

‘Oh,’ Kakashi replied and turned to the disappearing hedge. ‘I’m guessing some Death Eaters used a portkey to get into the center of the maze.’

Sirius’s glower darkened. He turned, ‘Harry, get out of here, right now.’

Harry’s eyes were wide but they hardened, ‘I want to fight! I can help.’

‘I know you can Harry,’ Sirius said, ‘but I’m your godfather and I’m telling you-’

‘Duck,’ Kakashi cried, grabbing Sirius’s arm and dragging him down. A red shower of sparks raced above their heads. Part of the quidditch stands behind them exploded. Sirius responded with a curse of his own, knocking two enemy wizards down.

Abruptly the hedge stopped its retreat into the ground at about waist level. Kakashi examined the wizards struggling through the bushes and his eyes widened. As realization struck he turned and began running, ‘Tenzo!’

The brown-haired ANBU was on his hands and knees, panting. Kakashi made some quick hand signs and slammed his hands into the ground. An earthen wall rose out of the ground, giving them cover. He turned to his teammate who had collapsed onto his side, sweat covered his face. His eyes were unfocused.

‘Tenzo, look at me,’ Kakashi ordered. He checked him over for injuries but didn’t find any.

Tenzo blinked at him, ‘senior…didn’t finish.’

Kakashi shook his head at him. ‘I know, don’t worry, we’ll handle it. Why don’t you take a break?’

‘No breaks…in ANBU,’ Tenzo said, repeating something Kakashi had told him months ago. An explosion of red sparks hit the earthen wall. The top crumbled a bit. Kakashi bent over his comrade to shelter him from the falling dirt. He could hear new voices shouting out spells at the intruders. Tenzo went limp in his arms.

‘FRED! GEORGE!’ Kakashi roared. The red heads were beside him faster than he thought possible for wizards. ‘Get him out of here,’ the jonin growled, handing the limp form to George. ‘I don’t care how you do it, take him to Madam Pomfrey, just make sure he’s safe.’

George accepted Tenzo into his arms. The twins were going to ask who this person was but the cold look in Kakashi’s eyes silenced all questions. Fred created cover, using shield charm after shield charm, while George ran for the gap in the stands. Fred followed him.

Kakashi ran back to where he’d left the rest of his team. Kurenai and Cedric were working together. Kurenai protected while Cedric revived people. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Draco were shooting spells over a wall toward the hedges. Sirius dashed here and there, dodging spells while trying to flank the Death Eaters.

Kakashi heard, ‘ _Avada Kedavra’_ and whipped his head around to the sound. He saw, as if in slow motion, Ebisu sprinting to intercept the spell, which was heading for Kurenai and Cedric. The new chunin caught the green spell full in the chest and he flew into Kurenai before exploding in a puff of smoke.

Kakashi’s eyes had been searching for the real Ebisu. The captain located Ebisu just in time to see another spell hitting the chunin in the side. He crumpled to the ground.

‘Ebisu!’ Kurenai cried, hurrying over, Cedric on her heals. Guy was already there, guarding his teammate.

Luna ran behind the wall Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Draco were hiding behind. She popped up, took aim, and shouted, ‘ _Stupefy_ ’, pointing her wand at the offending wizard that had hit Ebisu. The Death Eater fell back to be replaced by another wizard.

‘ _Rennervate_ ,’ Cedric said, pointing his wand at the ninja. Ebisu’s eyes fluttered open under his sunglasses.

‘Everyone get away from the hedge!’ Kakashi yelled. ‘Guy, light it up!’ Kakashi’s chidori burst to life in his hand. ‘Enough of this.’

Guy weaved signs for a fire style jutsu and sent a fireball hurtling toward the wizards in the maze. What was left of the bushes burst into flame. Most of the Death Eaters cast spells to deflect the fire. When the jutsu ran out and all that was left was smoke, Kakashi struck.

The flickering lightning gave Kakashi away but by the time it did, it was already over. The wizards were all in a line, making it easy. He’d practiced it a hundred times. He ignored Rin’s voice screaming his name in his mind as he hit one wizard after the other. When the smoke cleared it was just Kakashi and a few stunned wizards left alive in the maze.

Harry, Ron, Hermione, Draco, and Luna slowly stood up from behind their wall. Sirius ran over to Harry to make sure he was alright. Harry wasn’t looking at his godfather though, he was looking at Kakashi. The jonin was splattered in blood. It was on his usually spotless armor, in his hair and on his arms and legs. Kakashi calmly stepped through the gaps in the mostly charred and still smoldering bushes.

‘Kurenai,’ the copy-ninja said, ‘we have some prisoners that need interrogating.’

Kurenai nodded and stood up. Cedric made to follow her but she held up a hand. ‘Stay here. I’ll bring the live ones to you. You don’t need to see this.’

Cedric stared after her, swallowing. She picked through the bodies, bringing several of the stunned or body-locked Death Eaters to his feet. Cedric bound them with a quick spell and waited until Kurenai returned to revive them. His face was slack, watching her at her work.”

“This is a very detailed prediction Mr. Potter,” Professor Trelawney said after reading a large chunk of it aloud to the class. “I could go on but certain members of our class,” she glared at the sleeping Ron, who’d helped Harry write it up the night before and had already heard it, “do not appreciate the subtle details one can sometimes gleam from the planetary bodies that flow around us.”

Parvati frowned, crossing her arms and glaring back at Harry.

“Although,” the teacher continued, “the latter sections about Dumbledore’s death by the hand of Professor Moody and the assault on the castle.” She tutted. “It seems unlikely but one never knows why we are shown the future.”

Harry and Ron exchanged a look, grinning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was the beginning of my original, and much more action-packed, ending for this story. I was writing it out of pure guilty pleasure. However, when I told my husband about where the plot was going, he looked at me and said (kindly), “that makes no sense at all. You’re just writing that because you want to have a battle aren’t you?” 
> 
> I was forced to agree. Having the Death Eaters transport to Hogwarts to do the ritual in the maze (and getting interrupted by the ninja that Barty Crouch underestimated) rather than transporting Harry to the ritual in the graveyard made no sense from their standpoint. Even with Dumbledore dead (in this version, Crouch kills him shortly after the task began, since Dumbledore still believed him to be Moody and trusted him) there would still be too many witches and wizards around to challenge the Death Eaters. A big fight would have been pretty great though am I right? But, like Kakashi in the wizarding world, the logic train chugs on, plowing through illogical plot points and making wizards’ lives easier.  
> I just thought I’d share that with you as one of Harry’s fabricated predictions for Trelawney’s class. I hope you enjoyed it.


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